Ledger's accidental overdose of 6 drugs

Published on Wednesday 6 February 2008 21:32

ACTOR Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, the United States medical examiner said yesterday.

His death was due to "acute intoxication" by the combined effects of six different drugs – ibuprofen, the painkiller OxyContin, the anti-anxiety medications Xanax and Valium, and the sleeping pills Restoril and Unisom, spokeswoman Ellen Borakove revealed.

The Brokeback Mountain star was found dead in his New York apartment on 22 January. He was 28.

Ms Borakove would not say what concentrations of each drug were found in Ledger's blood, or whether one drug played a greater part than another in causing his death. "What you're looking at here is the cumulative effects of these medications together," she said.

The ruling comes two weeks after the Australian-born actor was found dead in the bed of his rented apartment.

Police found bottles of six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in his bedroom and bathroom.

Ledger, nominated for an Oscar for his role in Brokeback Mountain, had returned, days before his death, to New York from London, where he had been shooting a 15 million Terry Gilliam film.