Human Growth Hormone --HGH-- implicated in Anna Nicole Smith death, by autopsy report

Incredible as it sounds, the autopsy and toxicology report on the deceased Anna Nicole Smith (Vickie Lynn Marshall) contained evidence of HGH use.  Autopsy report here. CNN report on toxicology results here.

The Broward County medical examiner attributed the death to chloral hydrate in combination with the other sundry drugs (mostly  sedatives).  We are not sure we buy this totally.  The doses of metabolites of chloral hydrate were high (as indicated by the autopsy report), however chloral hydrate is rarely fatal.  It is possible the incredible combination of sedatives contributed to her death.

The Nation wonders about the role of HGH.  HGH is generally under-estimated as an agent of morbidity and mortality.  Smith's autopsy report indicated  discoloration of the heart, as well as a small area of myocardial infarction (!).  The autopsy did not report cardiac hypertrophy (enlarged) which would argue against HGH implicated in a cardiac death.

However, Smith clearly exhibited numerous injection sites, abscesses from previous injections, and other evidence of chronic HGH use.  At the least, these abscesses contributed to her demise via septicemia (blood infection).

During the course of the autopsy, filed under Smith's given name of Vickie Lynn Marshall, doctors found evidence that Smith had an abscess in her left buttock that had been perforated by a needle, probably when she took injections of either the growth hormone or vitamin B-12, the medical examiner explained. The perforation allowed bacteria to get into Smith's blood, which caused a high fever in the days before her death.

Drugs discovered in Smith's autopsy also include:

Therapeutic drugs:
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, an antihistamine)
• Clonazepam (Klonopin, anti-seizure drug, also used for panic attacks)
• Diazepam (Valium, used to treat anxiety)
• Nordiazepam (metabolite, produced in digestion of diazepam)
• Temazepam (metabolite, also produced during digestion of diazepam)
• Oxazepam (used to treat anxiety)
• Lorazepam (Ativan, used to treat anxiety)

Other drugs:
• Atropine (a drug used in resuscitation)
• Topiramate (Topomax, used to treat seizures, migraines, and sometimes
used as weight control drug)
• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro, an antibiotic)
• Acetaminophen (like Tylenol)
And HGH

Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Smith's body showed multiple signs of plastic surgery including old breast implants, and piercing.  Of interest for The Nation would be the evidence of chronic and acute IM (intramuscular) drug abuse.  This evidence consists of scars, old abscesses, and new active ?sterile or infectious abscesses.

The breasts implants and HGH contribute to superficial appearance, often with serious side effects.  As we posted yesterday, breast augmentation is on an incredible upswing in the US.  Athletes and the youth culture likewise use large amounts of HGH, including the recent spate of athletes linked to HGH use.

The serious side effects of HGH are unappreciated by most phsycians and users.

Comments

[hgh]

great blog, i had no idea about this!

[Jeffery Dach MD]

Anna Nicole Smith was low thyroid according to her autopsy report. She was also reportedly taking HGH.

The Dr. Andrew Weil the Debunker article in the June AARP Magazine gives the mistaken impression there is only one single medical publication (Rudman NEJM 1990) which reports the beneficial effects of growth hormone on the physical parameters of aging.

In reality there has been over 20 years of research with thousands of medical studies showing benefits from Growth Hormone therapy, and extremely high safety profile.

Growth Hormone is a patented FDA approved pharmaceutical with proven efficacy, and therefore Dr. Weil's "snake oil" label for growth hormone is hardly appropriate.

Benefits of (HGH) growth hormone include improved body composition, increased muscle and less body fat, improved bone density, improved wound healing, improved cognitive function, and improved sense of well being. Burn victims heal faster with growth hormone and have increased muscle protein synthesis. Patients with Crohn's disease and short bowel syndrome show improved nutritional status with HGH treatment. Cardiac cachexia patients gain weight, get well and leave the hospital. Hip fracture patiens heal with fewer complications.

The AARP Dr. Andrew Weil "the Debunker" article fails to tell us that our hormone levels decline dramatically after age 50, and
by the age of 60 most adults have Growth Hormone levels indistinguishable from those of hypopituitary patients with organic lesions in the pituitary gland.

For more info and references, see Dr. Andrew Weil Says Human Growth Hormone is "Snake Oil"

Jeffrey Dach MD

From the Nation: The anti-HGH folks overstate their case. However using HGH appears to be tricky as an anabolic. There are details we won't go into here.

I would also say that the side effects are worst than you state. In the case of some ill patients (burn) the side effects could be tolerated. As an anabolic, HGH produces dangerous side effects including cardiac hypertrophy.

BTW, aging is not a HGH deficiency disease, contrary to anti-aging clinics.