Brittany Murphy died apparently from reaction to medicine

An investigator with the LA County Coroner's Office has left the first clues as to how the heart attack talented actress Brittany Murphy died of Sunday morning may have been triggered.

Brittany Murphy

Notes written by a person identified as "Investigator Blacklock" were reviewed by TMZ.com. Blacklock's notes revealed that Murphy "had been complaining of shortness of breath and severe abdominal pain" for 7 to 10 days before she died. Murphy walked into the bathroom "around 7:30 AM" Sunday and closed the door.

TMZ explains that Brittany Murphy's mother Sharon Murphy went to knock on the bathroom door to check on her a half-hour later. She opened the door, found Murphy reportedly "lying on the floor unresponsive", and yelled for help. Brittany's husband Simon Monjack ran to the bathroom.

In a reversal of the first information on the sequence of events, Murphy's Mom called 911 and Simon worked to revive her by using running shower water. At first TMZ reported that Simon Monjack made the 911 call; not it's Brittany's mother who did it.

Sadly, Brittany Murphy had died by the time paramedics arrived.

The investigator found a lot of prescription drugs allegedly used by Murphy, as well as a number of empty vials. TMZ reports the meds listed were:

Topamax (anti-seizure meds also to prevent migraines), Methylprednisolone (anti-inflammatory), Fluoxetine (depression med), Klonopin (anxiety med), Carbamazepine (treats Diabetic symptoms and is also a bipolar med), Ativan (anxiety med), Vicoprofen (pain reliever), Propranolol (hypertension, used to prevent heart attacks), Biaxin (antibiotic), Hydrocodone (pain med) and miscellaneous vitamins.

My first reponse is "What the heck's she taking all those meds for?" Her illness is an answer. Brittany reportedly had a history of hypoglycemia, which is what happens when the body experiences low blood sugar. It generally occurs in patients who are receiving treatment for diabetes (either type 1 or type 2); Brittany Murphy's mother said Brittany was a diabetic.

Again, foul play and / or illegal drug use was not suspected in her death.

The Daily Mail Online, UK, reports that Simon Monjack is to be questioned by the authorities, but no word on when that was to take place.


Stay tuned.