Carrie Fisher: Coroner Finds Sleep Apnea Contributed to Actress’ Death
UPDATE: Carrie Fisher‘s full autopsy revealed cocaine, morphine, codeine and oxycodone in her system at the time of her death, TMZ reports. It is unclear what role, if any, any of the drugs played in the death of the actress last year.
A coroner’s report in the death of Carrie Fisher found that “sleep apnea and other undetermined factors” caused the Star Wars actress’ massive heart attack days before her December 27th death.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office added Friday that atherosclerotic heart disease – fatty tissue in the walls of Fisher’s arteries – also contributed to her death, but the exact cause of her heart attack aboard a Los Angeles-bound airplane remains unclear.
Additionally, a medical examiner’s report – the result of an autopsy conducted three days after Fisher’s death – revealed signs of “multiple drug intake” around the time of her death, although which drugs specifically weren’t announced. The report also stated that investigators couldn’t determine whether the drugs played a role in her death, the Associated Press reports.
In a statement following the new coroner’s report, Fisher’s brother Todd said, “I am not shocked that part of her health was affected by drugs,” adding that his sister relied on numerous prescription medications for her mental health conditions.
“We’re not enlightened. There’s nothing about this that is enlightening… I would tell you, from my perspective that there’s certainly no news that Carrie did drugs,” Todd Fisher said. ” Without her drugs, maybe she would have left long ago.”
Todd Fisher added that a number of factors – including Fisher’s smoking, past drug use and current medications – likely all contributed to the actress’ death at the age of 60.
In a separate statement (via CNN), Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd said following the coroners report, “My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases. I know my Mom, she’d want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles. Seek help, fight for government funding for mental health programs. Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure.”
Watch George Lucas tribute to Carrie Fisher.