Deadly Combo?

Dr. Blascke is a clinical pharmacologist of top reputation and I have no quarrel with his answers. However, for a young man like this actor to die from drugs interactions he had to have taken large doses of several drugs. Only an anlysis of the blood content can determine the real cause of his death. The fact that he mentioned death when speaking on a recent interview would suggest that he was depressed and possibly suicidal.
Lucien Joubert MD
www.smarterpatients.com

it was bad enough from over here in Perth to watch the way the body was handled with zero dignity and being wheeled out of the apartment. But to muse on the fall of yet another star to drug abuse. I don't understand why there doesn't seem to be a "member care" group operating in the Hollywood team. I mean, the workload and demands are rediculous driven by ....you can fill that in. But the number of stars struggling with these issues today...such lopsided psychology...pretty much the product many films offer much less what the actors go through...Get real, is the world really waiting for another Bat Man remake??? Oh, help!
And if anyone looks back at the history of the filmaking industry...what carnage...but we won't learn from the past. I still for the life of me cannot understand why every twisted move of Brittany Spears is so saleable. Sick, man!

For the comment about young hollywood has it so tough...I have to say what does that have to do with a great actor dying from an accidental overdose? It is sad when there has to be a debate about a death. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Heath.

Let's just hope that this will raise awareness for the pill popping community. You are not pharmacists, you are not doctor's. If it was an accident, hopefully people will learn that if you need professional help, there are wonderful people who dedicate their lives to doing so. Self medicating can and will kill you. However, if he had a death wish, hopefully he has found peace.

ok, for those with the "i'm taking such and such drug and now i'm scared" comments. Why don't you talk to your doctor or a doctor? A comment section at the end of an article is not the place to get health advice/direction. There is no need to panic. Talk to a doctor.
maybe the reason why people die from these drugs is because they don't talk to the doctor or listen to the doctor but instead listen to media about their medications. Just because alprazolam was among the drugs found beside a dead actor is no reason to freak out and stop taking your prescribed medication! You know, people have died from overdosing on aspirin... but that doesn't mean a person should freak out if they took one aspirin for a headache.
sometimes i think the vast majority of people are looking for a reason to freak out and panic and overreact.

it would be *really* sad if this all resulted in somehow making those medications less available to people who need them.

and as for the comment about Chinese herbs, the outrage over the recent problems with chinese imports is about things being mislabeled or other harmful chemicals being added without any mention on the label. That's a completely different issue.

I do agree with those of you that say that the media in general needs to respect his and his family???s privacy and let them morn in peace but I do pose the question, where were all the bleeding hearts when Anna Nicole died and she was extremely exploited. I read this same site and heard not one sympathetic voice for her. The circumstances of both deaths at least initially were similar but because Heath was more adored it seems to be so much more concern about his family and his feelings.

p.s I was a huge fan of both and send my deepest condolences out to his family

I think it's really sad that some many people are focusing on the drugs that caused to death, instead of Heath's death. Someone great just lost their life and instead of a period on mourning we have a period of rumors. You guys make me ashamed to be American. Let his famliy have some time to mourn their lost.

Lakima K
Chicago, IL

Drugs are drugs, prescribed or otherwise, we take at our own risk, do I blame an obviously exhausted and stressed actor for his own premature death, not really, I think the real issue is is with the housekeeper and or masseus, the only two people in a postion to possible have savesd his life in those last few critical minutes, a serious lapse in judgement on their part, call 9-1-1 !! what the hell were they thinking .. God Bless.

I take similar medication .The patient is ultimately responsible for telling there Docs what medication they are taking. After having a life threatening illness in which I almost died in 2006 my doc put me on similar meds to combat depression, anxiety and insomnia Docs do prescribe multiple meds for the same illness. Don't judge until you know the facts.

I do agree with those of you that say that the media in general needs to respect his and his family???s privacy and let them morn in peace but I do pose the question, where were all the bleeding hearts when Anna Nicole died and she was extremely exploited. I read this same site and heard not one sympathetic voice for her. The circumstances of both deaths at least initially were similar but because Heath was more adored it seems to be so much more concern about his family and his feelings.

p.s I was a huge fan of both and send my deepest condolences out to his family

I also agree that none of this is anyone's business. Just because the guy is famous doesn't mean we should be involved. We see the news story and move on. I don't understand why the news even interviews fans standing outside his apartment, those people don't even know him and he obviously didn't need to know every obsessed fan that goes to his apartment and waits outside.
With that siad I would like to mention that my doctor in California prescribed me an anxiety pill at the same time as my sleeping pills and said I could take together. I didn't like how I was feeling and eventually stopped, this backing up the point that either doctors are too busy to pay attention or they don't have enough knowledge about all the new drugs on the market. Always question your doctor, always get a 2nd opinion and leave the stars that don't know you from a rock alone!!!

Yes, this is a very sad ordeal. His friends and family are in my thoughts. The way I look at it is that God has a plan for everyone. Its just devestating that Heath had to go at such a young age.

After i saw this case, i started thinking about my own case and I really got scare.
I am taking pain killers i just srarted with methadone but i the same time I am taking sleep pills and antidepresses and I have to take another pill to wake up. I wandering if he was just following the doctor's order. If that was the case I don not think thadoctors will say it, but please this can be a wake up call for evrery body and relly check what the doctors are doing with our bodies.

It's sad that he passed at such a young age ,I also take the drug alprazolam it has came up in a lot of discussions a lot of people is dying from this drug .It also states that if you stop taking the drug you can have sezures.