Billy Mays Dies of Heart Disease
Famous TV Pitchman Had Enlarged Heart
Jeffrey Ufberg, WireImage
Despite early reports of a head injury, TV pitchman Billy Mays’ death appears to be caused by heart disease. Mays, 50, famous for selling products like Orange Glo and OxiClean, was pronounced dead at his home near Tampa on Sunday morning. His autopsy revealed he suffered from hypertensive heart disease, a complication of high blood pressure, reports CNN. The Hillsborough County medical examiner, Dr. Vernard Adams, told reporters that Mays' heart weighed approximately 17.6 ounces, heavier than a typical male heart which weighs about 10 to 12 ounces. The "heart disease that was found was certainly capable of causing the sudden death that he experienced."
Hypertensive heart disease is the leading cause of illness and death from high blood pressure. It refers to coronary artery disease, heart failure, and the heart enlarging because of high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the pressure in blood vessel, causing the heart to work harder to pump against this pressure. This causes the heart muscle to thicken over time and the left ventricle to become enlarged, which decreases the amount of blood the heart pumps.
More than 60 million adults in the U.S. (1 in 4) have high blood pressure and 7 million have suffered a heart attack, according to data from the faculty of Harvard Medical School. High blood pressure is the result of too much pressure placed on the walls of the arteries as blood pumps through the veins. Over time, this pressure can damage the arteries, heart, and kidneys. High blood pressure often doesn’t show any symptoms, but can lead to heart disease and stroke.There are many lifestyle changes that can be made to treat high blood pressure, including weight loss, dietary changes and quitting smoking. Medications such as ACE inhibitors and diuretics are also effective.
Very severe high blood pressure (160 over 100 or higher) may lead to hypertensive crisis. Symptoms of very severe high blood pressure include pulsating headaches, visual disturbances and nausea.
Heart disease is one of the most preventable diseases. Although genetics play a role, there are many factors you can control such as tobacco use, diet and your level of physical activity. There are all sorts of steps you can take to lower your risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. In fact, every minute someone dies from a heart attack or some other coronary event. Heart disease can go undiagnosed, so it is incredibly important to get checked out by your doctor.
Celeb Health News
Ethan Zohn, 2009
"Survivor: Africa" winner Zohn was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph tissue found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and bone marrow, on April 30. He told "People," "This is the ultimate game of 'Survivor.'"
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Adam Yauch, 2009
Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch (better known to fans as MCA) announced in July 2009 that a cancerous tumor was found in his left salivary gland. Despite the medical news, Yauch was all jokes in a video released by the band, saying that canceling shows was "a pain in the neck." Over 50 percent of tumors in the salivary gland are benign and about 70 to 80 of all salivary gland neoplasms originate in the parotid gland, just like in Yauch's case.
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Rachael Ray, 2009
Initially scheduled to have vocal cord surgery late in 2008, Ray opted for intensive vocal therapy instead, a spokesperson told "People" magazine. But apparently after months of therapy, her doctors advised her to go ahead with the surgery. On July 10, 2009, a "People" exclusive with Ray's rep revealed that Ray "decided to have a benign cyst removed from her vocal cord ... [and] the minor, non-invasive procedure was a success and she is already resting at home."
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Farrah Fawcett, 2009
After three years of battling cancer, actress Farrah Fawcett passed away on June 25. In 2006, the "Charlie's Angels" star was diagnosed with anal cancer, which eventually spread to her liver.
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Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
Broderick and Parker announced on April 28 they were expecting the birth of twin daughters "with the generous help of a surrogate." The Hollywood couple and 6-year-old son James Wilkie welcomed twin daughters Marion and Tabitha to their family on June 22.
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Phil and Amy Mickelson, 2009
Pro golfer Phil Mickelson took a hiatus from the PGA Tour when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2009. Keeping true to his word that he would not tour until his wife was well enough to travel with him, Mickelson recently resumed his game at the Stanford St. Jude Championship. After the U.S. Open, Mickelson will abandon the course once again to be by his wife's side while she undergoes cancer treatment.
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Ed McMahon, 2009
On March 2, it was reported that Ed McMahon had been in the hospital for several weeks with pneumonia and other ailments. He spent his 86th birthday, March 6, in the hospital and sadly passed away June 23.
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Steve Jobs, 2009
Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs took a medical leave in January 2009 to undergo treatment for pancreatic cancer. Reports then surfaced in June that he underwent a liver transplant two months before in Tennessee.
Liev Schreiber, Alexander Pete and Naomi Watts, 2009
Alexander "Sasha" Pete, the 21-month-old son of Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts, was briefly hospitalized for respiratory issues on April 28.
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Prince, 2009
During an interview with PBS on April 27, Prince revealed that he struggled with epilepsy as a child. The singer said that his flashy persona was a way to compensate for a condition that made him feel insecure.
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Recent Comments
Rainbow7952 03:54:10 PM Jul 14 2009
Thank you to Melissakay. What an excellent description for a lay person of some forms of heart disease. Thank you.
Melissakayetx1 01:57:43 AM Jul 01 2009
Cardiomyopathy ia in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. There may be multiple causes including viral infections.Cardiomyopathy can be classified as primary or secondary. Primary cardiomyopathy can't be attributed to a specific cause, such as high blood pressure, heart valve disease, artery diseases or congenital heart defects. Secondary cardiomyopathy is due to specific causes. It's often associated with diseases involving other organs as well as the heart.There are three main types of cardiomyopathy: dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive.Dilated (congestive) cardiomyopathy is a group of heart muscle disorders in which the ventricles enlarge but are not able to pump enough blood for the body's needs, resulting in heart failure. Coronary artery disease, viral infections, and some hormonal disorders are common causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy can develop at any age but is more common among people aged 20 to 60 years. Ab
Glory25420 12:36:49 AM Jul 01 2009
My heart symptom was crushing pain on the side of my neck, and throat. I was treated for acid reflux, but the symtoms got worse, especially if I walked up a hill or farther than a block. It turns out I was 95% blocked in one artery and 75% blocked in another. I had almost no chest pain though..
Legodaddy57 12:22:04 AM Jul 01 2009
I thought death came in 3's? so much for that myth..... Ed, Farah, Michael, and now Billy, this all just goes to show you......life is very short indeed. Your life can end in a split second......
Peas1234 11:57:15 PM Jun 30 2009
So many deaths last week!! God Bless all of their families
ElanorHiPomojo 11:45:34 PM Jun 30 2009
Hey Sarah did you get the Hem-eez at GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe? I was at their site http://www.hemeez.com and read about the nobel peace prize and the hemeez link. I have had hemorrhoids, I also have high blood pressure and want to be proactive at 43 to do something to combat my foolish youth lifestyle.
INSHARPC 11:30:04 PM Jun 30 2009
I WAS SAD TO HEAR ABOUT BILLY MAYS HE WILL FOREVER BE IN OUR HEARTS I AM SO SORRY FOR THE FAMILY'S LOSS IN CHRIST
Lajr1951 09:24:56 PM Jun 30 2009
I AM SORRY THAT BILLY MAYS DIED.WE ALL WILL DIE SOMEDAY.
VicB704 09:24:47 PM Jun 30 2009
I'm so sick to death of hearing the Michael Jackson saga. I'm sorry for his death and his family's pain. His family speaks out about let him alone...no one stood by him when he was being drug through the mud. Well I've been taught you reap what you sow. He lived his life in the spotlight...trying to make himself a god to his followers. Did he not have sense enough to know that when and how he died would once again be in the spotlight. If he was as strung out on drugs as the reports say, then he was crazier than most people thought. Who knows what he did when he was strung out in the past. Probably things he doesn't even know about. There is only one God and Michael will stand in judgement before HIM. What about Farrah and Ed McMahon...they were dear people too. We would have loved to hear stories of them and their families. Let's shelf this story and get on with the living.
