Did Michael Jackson's Prescription Drug Use Lead To His Death?

Prescription drugs when used properly can have many beneficial effects- including significant reduction of pain, reduction in anxiety and improved sleep for instance. However, when used improperly, these medications can be quite harmful and, in fact, can become quickly fatal. Narcotic painkillers, for example, when taken in dosages that exceed the recommended amounts, or when combined with other medications or alcohol, can create a sudden, large drop in blood pressure. Physically, narcotics have an effect of dilating blood vessels, dropping blood pressure, causing the heart to have to work harder to maintain a normal blood pressure. If the heart is already compromised- as can occur due to stress, physical or even excessive psychological illness, or co-occurring physical illness- the added workload on the heart can lead to abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) that can result in death. Drug overdose- that which may have led to Michael Jackson's untimely death- can quickly lead to death in this manner.

Whether overdose on prescription drugs lead to Michael Jackson's death is unclear at this early stage, and simply speculation now. However, this certainly must be considered a possibility, particularly given his past history of drug abuse and need for treatment. Past behavior and family concern is frequently a "red flag" for a drug problem. Relatives of Michael Jackson had publically expressed serious concerns in the past for possible drug addiction. Unfortunately, drug overdose may never be known in certainty as the cause of death, as is the case in many instances.

I will continue my blog discussion tomorrow on prescription drug abuse/ addiction and further discussion on how this may have contributed to Michael Jackson's untimely death. Please comment if you wish in this discussion.