From Pitchman to Snowman

An official autopsy report released on Friday concluded that cocaine use caused or contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed TV mega-pitchman Billy Mays on June 28^th, furthering an earlier report conducted by the Hillsborough County medical examiner’s office that determined Mays died of a heart attack in his sleep while at his Tampa condo.

The office also says Mays last used cocaine a few days before his death but was not under the influence at the time of his death. According to the release, cocaine can raise arterial blood pressure, thicken the left wall of the ventricle and accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.

Toxicology reports also indicate that Mays had therapeutic amounts of painkillers hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol in his system. He was scheduled for hip-replacement surgery due the day after we was found dead. Anti-anxiety drugs alprazolam and diazepam were also found.

Mays’ family has called the report “speculative” and is considering conducting an independent investigation of the results. They say they were totally unaware of his drug use and proclaim Mays long suffered from untreated chronic hypertension.