Michael Jackson Death Caused By Overdose Of Demerol?
Posted on June 25, 2009
Was Michael Jackson’s death caused by a painkiller overdose? Sources report Michael Jackson went into cardiac arrest after an injection of Demerol, a narcotic pain reliever similar to Morphine. Read more below.
A source at the UCLA hospital’s emergency room said that Jackson’s people told paramedics Jackson had collapsed after an injection of Demerol.
The source stated: “Shortly after taking the Demerol he started to experience slow shallow breathing. His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped.”
“His staff started mouth-to-mouth and an ambulance was called which got there in eight minutes “But found he was in full respiratory arrest, no breathing and no pulse. They started full CPR and rushed him to hospital.”
“When he arrived they started resuscitation, giving him heart shocks and inserted a breathing tube and other supportive measures to try and save his life.
“He never regained consciousness.The family was told that he had passed.”
The Jackson’s family lawyer, Brian Oxman, said Michael had collapsed at the home he rented in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills, with his brother Randy Jackson present.
Sources close to Jackson say he had been taking prescription painkillers including anti-anxiety drugs Xanax, Zoloft and painkiller Demerol in recent months.
Jackson family lawyer Brian Oxman confirmed Jackson may have had trouble with prescription drugs as he prepared for his London show.
“This was something which I feared and something which I warned about,” Oxman said on CNN. “I can tell you for sure that this is something I warned about. Where there is smoke there is fire.”
The Los Angeles City Fire Department confirmed the 911 call was made from Jackson’s home.
“The call came in because a person was not breathing,” said a spokesman.
“When the team arrived, they saw that CPR was already in progress by someone at the home.
“The person not breathing was transported to UCLA Medical Centre.”
Jackson’s family members said that Michael, who was about to start his comeback tour in London, “was in really bad shape”.
So what exactly is Demerol?
Demerol brand of meperidine is a synthetic opiate narcotic, very similar to Morphine. It is very addictive.
So did Michael Jackson die from an accidental overdose which caused him to go into cardiac arrest? Weigh in with your thoughts.
Click Thumbnails for Larger Pictures
19 comments
Loading ...
He didn’t perform in a while,and at 50 the laborious dance steps were giving him pain.
His trainer(Dr.?) gave him Demerol.
It turned out to be fatal.
Heart problems are a common side effect of the drug.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
There are alot of deaths linked to Demerol and even if there isn’t an overdose some can die from it. I am so sad this has happened. It is still unbelievable.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Who gave him the demerol-this is what killed him, I knew it as soon as I heard he died that it was drug related. Why didn’t his staff have the antedote for Demerol.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
There is no “antedote” (sic) for Demerol, or indeed any opiate based painkiller. Administering too much of any opiate painkiller, which was clearly the case here, can cause death and it’s very difficult to resuscitate a person once they have gone into cardiac arrest.
He had clearly been abusing painkillers for some time, and while your body can build up a tolerance it’s a tricky business-the line between just enough and too much is razor thin, and was obviously crossed today.
Too bad, but this is what happens with yes men doctors and handlers that give stars anything as long as they make them money.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
There IS an antidote for demerol and other opiates called narcan. It must be given IV. Doesn’t really help after the heart has already stopped, since it can’t circulate. This fool Jackson killed himself accidentally just like Anna Nicole and her fool son. Rich people playing with dangerous drugs.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Demerol is not chemically similar to morphine. It is similar to the fentanyl family of synthetic opioids. Demerol is toxic beyond surgical/medical procedure use and I am very puzzled why he was prescribed that or chose that. This is highly unusual for pain relief. As far as opioid antidotes (called opioid antagonists), they are definitely available. Naloxone, naltrexone jump to mind. The doctor in his house should have had some naloxone injectable available since I am sure he knew that Michael was on chronic opioid pain killers (and benzo’s). If they didn’t have NAL, why the he** didn’t they call paramedics immediately because they certainly carry opioid & benzodiazepene antagonists.
Why did they wait so long especially since this article says he collapsed with slow shallow breathing – this is THE telltail sign of opioid overdose (as is lips, fingertips turning bluish). If you are prescribing opioid pain killers, you have to be a moron not to recognize an overdose in progress. No, instead they waited for his hart to stop. Then wasted time on CPR without NAL. Then called paramedics when they failed. I am almost certain the MJ staff who tried to revive him did not inject him with NAL. Of course, the flip side of this, if Michael was addicted to opioids (anyone taking them for 2-3 weeks becomes so whether they like it or not), and if NAL injection reversed his OD, he would have woken up in a very unpleasant state of mind and body. Precipitated opioid withdrawal by an opioid antagonist is not fun and can be dangerous if performed outside of an ER setting because it needs to be carefully done and monitored as often several injections are needed because of NAL’s half-life. It’s like you can’t give too little nor too much. Also, he was supposedly on benzodiazipenes – this article mentioned Valium, Xanax (why both?? xanax is like 20 times stronger than valium is super addictive). Did no one tell him that combining opioid painkillers with benzodiazipenes is a deadly game unless you know what you are doing and reduce the dose of either med by 25% at least??? Otherwise you go to sleep and never wake up.
Oh well, too late to change anything.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I feel the media may be scaring people, pleae know that just because you have a sudden rapid heart rate/rhythm it does not mean you are in cardiac arrest. At least 1 million people in this country have sudden attacks of rapid heart rate that are benign due often times to a congential heart condition you may not learn you have this until you are older (in my case age 33, I’m now 50) and it will not kill you. I was actually born 4 days in time after Michael Jackson. I keep reading articles that state if you have a rapid heart rate you have a few minutes to get help and yes sometimes it could be cardiac arrest but often it is totally benign.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He knew the tragedy about Elvis and went for the numb and whiz anyway.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He just loved his kids so suicide is out of the question.
WHY WASN’T THERE ANY PROMOTION OF HIS CONCERTS?
………..thought about thatone?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If one can believe what is being reported, something is missing. As a Paramedic I am wondering why there was no mention of, nor an attempt to give MJ Narcan, which quickly reverses the side effects of an opiate overdose. If his personal physician was present and MJ was on as many opiates as has been stated, then Narcan should have been a staple in his household and may well have saved his life.
The other thing that bothers me is the timeline. It simply does not make sense. If Narcan had been administered and the proper protocol or “algorithm” is used within approx. 15 minutes of arrest, there is a good expectation of response. Reports are saying that he received the Demerol injection around 11:30 AM and a 911 call was made around 12:36?? What took so long to call? Paramedics took approx. 8 minutes to respond and had they been called and arrived immediately after OD symptoms began, MJ would still be here today. I think there is far more yet to be reported on this tragic event.
RIP Michael. Your torment is over and peace will be yours. God bless and keep your children and family through this difficult time.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
We will never know the real truth-this is the case with all the celebs. Just look at Elvis, JFK, Howard Hughes….
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Captain America no one said it was intentional (suicide). Apparently actions he approved lead to his death. Breathing problems are a common side effect of the drug. That leads to the heart stopping. So it is self-induced with unintended outcome.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The concerts were in Europe so we wouldn’t have see much promotion here. Thought about thatone?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Usage of Demerol together with monoamine oxidase might be possible I think.
Hans
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
in a msn article i was reading it said the paremedics were with him for 45 minutes before taking him to the hospital…why??
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He did not die of a drug overdose, he died from food poisoning. The coroner found 6 year old nuts in his stomach.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Did Dr. Conrad, the personal physician cardiologist specialist who performed CPR on Michael have the antidote Narcan(Naloxone) on hand used to reverse the adverse affects of Demerol? Naloxone is a drug used to counter the effects of opioid overdose.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hey pookie, you’re a fool. Food poisoning? Fatal food poisoning would take days to kill a person and it wouldnt be cardiac arrest. it would be something like dehydration from vomitting and diarrhea. back in ‘03, i think that was when his molestation trial took place, court tv was reporting on his abuse of demerol. i was at work and we were watching cnn coverage of jackson’s death and coworkers were saying that it was not just a 50 year old man w4ith a heart condition. it was something else. i explained to them that he had a history of abusing pain meds and particularly demerol. i know this not because i am some weird jacko fan but because i follow true crime as a hobby and he WAS a criminal and i am not talking about drugs. i am very sorry for his siblings, parents and children but this man didn’t always help people despite his charitable efforts. maybe he is answering for it…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Nicholas, you are the fool for not remotely getting the joke. You are too stupid to even have a sense of humor.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0