EXCLUSIVE: Brittany Murphy's Death A 'Perfect Storm' Of Drugs & Pneumonia, Says Doctor
Feb. 4 2010, Published 7:20 a.m. ET
Toxicology expert Dr. Bruce Goldberger told RadarOnline.com that Brittany Murphy’s death was a “perfect storm” of an accidental drug overdose combined with pneumonia.
And the Professor and Director of Toxicology at the University of Florida College of Medicine added he was “not surprised” at the findings, which he compared to the death of actor Heath Ledger.
Dr Goldberger told RadarOnline.com: “Misusing prescription drugs when you have pneumonia increases the risk of a potentially lethal outcome.
“It was the ‘perfect storm’ with the combination of a significant illness and the use of prescription drugs – it was the misuse of these drugs that led to her accidental death.
“Tragically, in this day and age, treating her pneumonia properly should not have led to somebody of Brittany Murphy’s age dying.
“I had suspected that drugs had played a part in her death just as in the Heath Ledger case and sadly today’s findings confirm that to me. The results are consistent with the fact that her family reported that she was not feeling well.”
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office issued a press release Thursday listing the manner of Murphy’s death as accidental and the cause of her death as “community acquired pneumonia.” Other conditions specified were iron deficiency anemia and multiple drug intoxication. Under the category “how injury occurred” the coroner listed “drug intake.”
As RadarOnline.com reported earlier Thursday the toxicology reports will not be made public for a few weeks.
According to the reportedly leaked notes of an investigator from the coroner’s office, the medications found in Murphy’s bedroom included: Klonopin (anxiety med), Carbamazepine (treats Diabetic symptoms and is also a bipolar med), Ativan (anxiety med), Vicoprofen (pain reliever), Hydrocodone (pain med) , Topamax (anti-seizure med also to prevent migraines), Propranolol (hypertension, used to prevent heart attacks), Biaxin (antibiotic), Methylprednisolone (anti-inflammatory), Fluoxetine (depression med) and miscellaneous vitamins. Some of the bottles were full while some were empty, the investigator wrote.
Murphy died at her Hollywood Hills home on December 20, 2009 at age 32. Her British husband Simon Monjack had said that the 8 Mile star was taking medication to cope with menstrual pains each month.
Dr Goldberger, who did not treat Murphy, added: “Some women have iron deficiencies when they menstruate each month while others just have lower iron levels inherently too.
“This must have shown up as a result of a test for this particular deficiency and that could have been done because of information obtained from her prior medical records or by speaking with the family about her medical history.
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AUDIO: Brittany Murphy Mother's Dramatic 911 Call
“Unfortunately, Brittany Murphy was not looking after herself at a time when she was obviously sick.”
