Heart Attack Likely Killed TV Pitchman Billy Mays

Florida medical examiner says Mays suffered from hypertensive heart disease and that he likely died of a heart attack, but further tests are needed.

By: Jamie Burch | WKRG-TV
Published: June 29, 2009

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida medical examiner says television
pitchman Billy Mays likely died of a heart attack but further tests
are needed.
Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Vernard Adams said Monday
the boisterous, bearded 50-year-old known for hawking Oxi Clean
suffered from hypertensive heart disease. He was found dead Sunday
in his Tampa home. A day earlier he bumped his head during a rough
landing on a commercial airliner, but Adams says there there was no
evidence of head trauma.
He says Mays was taking the prescription painkillers Tramadol
and hydrocodone for hip pain. But Adams says there was no
indication of drug abuse, and pill counts showed Mays had been
taking the correct amount of the drugs.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)