Did Combined Drug Intoxication Kill Whitney Houston?

Though originally thought to have died from alcohol overuse or the overdose of illegal drugs, it now seems that the death of singing diva Whitney Houston may have had more to do with prescription medications.

Did Combined Drug Intoxication Kill Whitney Houston

It was legal prescription drugs rather than the illegal variety that could have killed Whitney Houston, since a number of drugs such as Xanax, Valiaum, Larazepam as well as one more sleeping pill were found in her room. Though the autopsy results will be revealed only after some weeks, there does seem to be some reason to think that legal and no illegal drugs could be responsible for an untimely death.

If it is found that the above prescription drugs which are known to impair motor function and cause drowsiness, were indeed responsible, Houston would be far from the first celebrity to have lost her life in this manner. Michael Jackson famously died due to prescription medications, as did model Anna Nicole Smith, actor Heath Ledger, Corey Haim and Brittany Murphy to name only a few.

Overuse of prescription medications, especially pain killers and tranquilizers is a growing menace and a relatively modern phenomenon. According to the CDC, accidental overdoses kill more Americans than car crashes.

We know that Whitney Houston had had a turbulent past dealing with drug additions, rehab and so on. But in the end was it medications that killed her?

What is combined drug intoxication?

Though it is most often referred to as an “overdose”, it is correctly called combined drug intoxication (CDI) or multiple drug intake (MDI) and it refers to the use of a combination of multiple drugs. These drugs could be over the counter drugs, prescription drugs or recreational drugs and other combinations and in recent decades, the number of deaths resulting from this has soared.

Risk factors

Those who display hypochondriac behavior, choosing to pop pills for the slightest reason, and even for imagined disorders, are known to be at higher risk of CDI. Also people who have to take many medications (because they are required for multiple health issues or because they think they need them) are at a higher risk.

The risk of drug interactions is higher, the risk of accidental over dosage is higher and the risk of developing a dependence upon those drugs is also higher. Hence there are multiple ways in which substances that are meant to cure may actually harm us.

This is why, all drug use should be warranted, and use of multiple drugs should always be carefully monitored by a doctor.