Heath Ledger Died

[Graeme]

Heath Ledger died of accidental drug overdose from Melbourne's Herald Sun.

 

I found the headline misleading -- it doesn't appear, from my reading, that he died of a drug overdose, but instead died from a fatal drug interaction. Drug interactions kill a number of people each year, and it is one of the key areas in drug dispensing (and why doctors and pharmicists ask what other medication you're on).

 

Ledger's US-based publicist, Mara Buxbaum, immediately released a statement from Ledger's father, Kim, requesting the media to stop speculating about what killed his son.

 

"Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts,'' Kim Ledger wrote.

 

"While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy.

 

"Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.''