Anna Nicole and Prescription Drugs

Anna Nicole Smith's autopsy report was released on Monday, March 26, 2007. The Broward County Coroner's office has ruled her death was most likely a result of accidental drug overdose from a prescription sleep aid and several over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

According to the report, Smith overdosed on just one of the medications, but she was taking several. Included in the list of drugs she was taking are a few that are usually not considered dangerous by most folks. Smith's death shows how mixing drugs can be very dangerous indeed.

Smith was using chloral hydrate to help her sleep. She was chronically overdosing, according to the coroner report. The usual dose of the elixir she was taking is one to two teaspoons.

Smith regularly took two tablespoons.

According to the medical examiner, that was enough to be lethal all by itself. Since she was taking it all the time at that dose, Smith probably wouldn't have died from just the chloral hydrate, but she was taking several other medications as well.

Diphenhydramine is listed among the drugs in Smith's system. More commonly known as Benadryl, diphenhydramine is one of the best antihistamines on the market. It also causes drowsiness. So much so, that diphenhydramine is also the most common OTC sleep aid sold.

Mixing diphenhydramine with alcohol or sedatives can be very dangerous.

Smith had a total of nine drugs in her system and was suffering from an infection as well. Diphenhydramine wasn't the only thing that killed her, but it probably contributed.

For more information:

• Anna Nicole Smith: Too Many Sedatives
• Diphenhydramine
• When to Call 911
• Sedatives Overdose
• How to Do CPR