Billy Mays' Family Questions Autopsy

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Aug 9th 2009 09:16AM

The family of TV pitchman Billy Mays said they were never aware that he used cocaine or other non-prescription drugs before his death and were considering whether to have an independent review of an official autopsy.

Mays' family questioned the finding of cocaine and criticized the medical examiner's officer for issuing the report. "We were totally unaware of any non-prescription drug usage and are actively considering an independent evaluation of the autopsy results," Mays' family said in a statement.

The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office released the results of its autopsy on Friday, finding that cocaine use had contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed the 50-year-old in June. He was discovered by his wife in bed at their Tampa condo on June 28.

Mays was a pop-culture fixture with his energetic commercials pitching gadgets and cleaning products like Orange Glo and OxiClean.

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Recent Losses in TV Land

Billy Mays, June 28: The TV pitchman died of a heart attack, though an autopsy report showed that cocaine use played a part in Mays' death.

Chris O'Meara, AP

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Billy Mays, June 28: The TV pitchman died of a heart attack, though an autopsy report showed that cocaine use played a part in Mays' death.

Chris O'Meara, AP

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While heart disease was the primary cause of his death, the medical examiner listed cocaine as a "contributory cause of death." The office said Mays last used cocaine in the few days before his death but was not under the influence of the drug when he died.

Cocaine can raise the arterial blood pressure, directly cause thickening of the left wall of the ventricle and accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, the medical examiner's office release said.

The reports also stated that Mays was taking hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol by prescription for hip pain, as well as anti-anxiety drugs alprazolam and diazepam.

In the statement, the family was "extremely disappointed" by the release of the information. They said the report "contains speculative conclusions that are frankly unnecessary and tend to obscure the conclusion that Billy suffered from chronic, untreated hypertension, which only demonstrates how important it is to regularly monitor one's health."

Tags: billy mays, BillyMays, cocaine, death

Comments

(269)

Monday 10 August

By Andy

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MJ was a total ungodly horrible national FREAK SHOW with all his/her perverseness for 40 years or so .... his funeral was disgusting as was his life .... wonder it was all over the media and is still! Billy mays was a decent fellow with an unfortunate drug problem that killed him .... unlike MJ , his family likey knew of it , but could'nt help be in denial of the fact because he was at least DECENT , and a normal family man .... there's your difference ; HE does'nt deserve bad publicity .... the only thing I hated about him was his loud shouting about oxy-clean .... he likely got that from the steryotype (obnoxius !) LOUD BLACK mouth & in yur face ! .... he likely figured on that and knew it was a good way to get ppl's attn., and capitalized on it & sell what he was paid to , and build his empire ! I'd feel like being in denial too if that was one of my family members even tho I knew it .

Sunday 09 August

By chele

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this was completely speculative on the part of the coroner. They are stating that because there was cocaine in his system it contributed to his death. The damage that cocaine causes, especially the long term usage related damage the coroner is citing cannot be assumed because you found cocaine in a deceased person's toxicology report. I would like to see what evidence the coroner has that Mr. Mays was a long term chronic cocaine user, which was the basis they used for the determination that cocaine contributed to his death. I am suspicious of a coroner who makes wild assumptions based on only 1 toxicology report, and then uses statistical information only to back such a claim. Sounds like someone was eager to ride the coattails of a dead celebrity to fortune and fame, and wow, it's not like that kind of revolting behaviour isn't every on the news right now.

By Jason V.

You only had to watch a few of Mays's commercials to know hypertension would some day kill him. Too bad he hadn't been diagnosed prior. He must not have been seeing a doctor regularly or his doctor never saw any of his raving ad pitches. How could you not look for heart trouble after seeing one of his commercials? Aside from the most obvious causes of Mays's death, I agree it was irresponsible for the medical examiner to release speculative information. There should be another examination before assigning any blame to cocaine out-of-hand without a more a assertive conclusion. You don't look at Billy Mays and think cocaine, you immeidately think, "this guys's going to die of heart attack if he doesn't stop yelling and if he doesn't calm down." That's what killed him--several years of screaming until he was blue in the face--literally. No disrespect; I think Mays himelf would probably have to agree with that, after all. The examiner should be examined for bringing up cocaine without more in-depth, conclusive evidence. It was unnecessary, at best.

By Louis Ferraro

i dont know wy they all what to blame cocaine i dont think in mays cause its not real get someone els to do the report thanks Louis F

By Reveverend

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Well since you are not an ME as you have not stated you are, what do you know about heart seizures due to use of that drug? I have seen people died from that in their 20's because of it. Sounds to me a man that age should have know better, I guess not The anti anxiety pills Generics for Xanax and Valium would be used to counter the cocaine effect . But it was his body to abuse as he saw fit. Wife had to know he used. You can't hide it from someone that close.

Its not the doctors fault, the patient may never have even mentioned cocaine use.

By Jonitia

Are you a doctor? If the autopsies of other individuals in the public are released, what makes the late Billy Mays any different? How many times have individuals died and their family was unaware of a drug problem? Also, since Billy Mays was in pain AND was scheduled to have a hip replacement the day following his death, you want me to believe none of his family members knew he was taking prescription pain killers? No one ever picked up a prescription from the pharmacy for him? His wife never accompanied him to a doctor's appointment or he never discussed his pain and need for a hip replacement. I understand their shock and grief but it is time for acceptance and to move on.

By Jo

Chele.
I totally agree with what you posted! That was the first thing that crossed my mind. Please... there are so many things that contribute to arterial hardening, food, lifestyle, etc., that there is no way that they could really tell. I found the report questionable when it first came out.

By James

The mix of prescription drugs could easily cause metabolites which might confound a drug panel, which is NEVER 100% accurate. False positives occur all the time.

Wednesday 17 November

By Bill

It would be irresponsible for the coroner not to list cocaine as a contributing factor in Mays' death, as it was found in the man's system.

By World

Chele, Please do not tell me you went to Med School....because if you did, you are the reason malpractice insurance is so expensive. If not, stay in your lane. Your opinion is speculative and it is your uneducated opinion and something you are entitled to, but you are not entitled to your own FACTS! I think the coroner isn't on his first day of the job.........

P.S. You too need to stay off Drugs

By Dharma

excllent question how long term is long term AND when was that?

By ninerfaninwa

Just a personal note. I knew Billy Mays personally when I worked for home shopping network. What you saw on screen, was how he was off screen. I had, on several occassions, spent time with him and friends in social settings, and never saw him use. No inkling of cocaine abuse. As a former user of the nasty drug, I hope I would know the signs. I'll always remember him as the big teddy bear that he was - larger than life and will miss him dearly. Let's see what a new autopsy shows

By Poot

Whether Mays used or not, what the hell difference does it make to the public now or at anytime for that matter. Gezzzz, let it go. This is between the coroner and the family. Until the show "Pitchmen" aired I couldn't stand Billy Mays. I became a fan because it showed the personal side of Billy who was actually pretty funny paired with Sully. That's how I'll remember him and could care less about his deeper personal life. Hell I've screwed up myself and remember the last time very well. It was a bright crisp day in early March...2007. Hee hee hee.

By John

They can take pieces of his hair testng every 1/16 of an inch of strands of his hair and determine if he used often or if it was a one time seldom deal.

By Tigerlily

I agree. What is the point of citing cocaine as a cause of death when it was his heart. I never met the man but I felt so sad when I heard that he died. My heart goes out to his family.

By westy

i agree this. I would have another one done by a privet doc. GOD bless his wife.

Wednesday 12 August

By kirk Harrison

What are we all talking about? Its What? Cocaine abuse. Who? Billy Mays? No? It Could'nt Happen?
It's Not Micheal Jackson? No? Could'nt Happen?Is it the ENABLER'S? DRUG TEST EVERYONE?YOU'll Find many
are to the constraints of Pain relief.Question yourself and view all the facts with those questions.
This behavior is what's Freedom Reins.It's has a long way to be solved as a whole.Their are smaller people out there that are Suffering to drugs.We all want to feel BETTER.For life is not PERFECT.And we seek More.More of WHAT?.

By rz

One thing you forgot to mention is cocaine can cause spasm to the coronary arteries, an effect that has nothing to do with chronic use. This alone can kill someone with normal coronary arteries.

By labeba

My understanding is that they can tell prolonged usage by the nasal passages. It damages them serverely I have heard. Compared to the other drugs/medicine....the coke is the lessor of the evils.

By Belgo

The coronor was being generous in stating that cocaine was only a contributing factor. If Mr. Mays had coronary artery disease, and he did cocaine, which causes arteries to spasm, the cocaine was the direct cause of his death. Whether the coronary artery disease itself was due to regular hypertension, cocaine-induced hypertension, smoking, or just cocaine is besides the point. Although a number of substances can interfere with a rapid drug screen for amphetamines, these can be positively identified with secondary tests. False positives for cocaine are essentially unheard-of (and can also be confirmed).
Mr. Mays had multiple sedatives on board in a mix which no competent doctor would allow. More than likely he was getting them from multiple doctors and pharmacies without knowledge of what the other doctors/pharmacies were doing (doctor shopping). Either that, or he had one incompetent doctor. It is certainly no surprise that he took cocaine so that he could stay awake on all of these sedatives (or that he took sedatives so he could come down from the cocaine).
Death certificates are a matter of public record. Sorry, but that right to privacy dies when the patient does. There's no doubt but that cocaine was the immediate cause of Mr. Mays' death. Whether it was the ONLY cause (i.e. if his heart disease was due to the cocaine in the first place) is the only thing we'll probably never know (although it's quite likely). If any good can come out of this, maybe through these celebrity deaths (Mr. Mays and Mr. Jackson) the public can understand the life-threatening consequences of drug abuse and "doctor-shopping." And, yes, I am a doctor.

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