Heath Ledger died of accidental overdose

HEATH LEDGER died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said last night.

The cause of death was “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine”, said spokeswoman Ellen Borakove.

The drugs are the generic names for the OxyContin painkiller, the anti-anxiety drug Valium, Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is a prescription painkiller.

Ms Borakove wouldn’t 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 28-year-old Australian-born actor was found dead in the bed of his rented Soho apartment. Police found bottles of six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in his bedroom and bathroom.

Ledger was discovered by his masseuse on January 22.

She found him unresponsive, and proceeded to call actress Mary-Kate Olsen three times over the next nine minutes before dialing emergency services.

Ledger’s family returned to the actor’s hometown of Perth, Australia on Tuesday to prepare for his funeral. Arrangements were private.

In a statement Ledger’s father, Kim, said yesterday: “While no medications were taken in excess, we learnt 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.”