Drugs/Therapy

Prince Death Caused By Opioid Fentanyl Painkiller Overdose, Authorities Confirm

By Mariel Peralta | Update Date: Jun 03, 2016 06:00 AM EDT

Pop icon Prince or Prince Roger Nelson died from an accidental overdose of opioid painkiller fentanyl. A medical examiner confirmed that it was the painkiller medication that the entertainer used for his debilitating hip pain. The overdose was caused by Prince self-administering the medication wrongly.

Medical Examiner Assessment Confirms Prince's Cause of Death

The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office report stated that Prince died of fentanyl poisoning at the age of 57 on April 21. However, the official reports of the autopsy and toxicology tests are not yet released and the investigation is still ongoing.

Prince was last seen on the eve of his death around 8pm at his compound in Paisley Park in Minneapolis. He was found unresponsive by his house staff the next morning in an elevator, The Guardian reported. The suspicion of violence or suicide was ruled out as the authorities say there were no signs of struggle or trauma found on the entertainer's body.


Prince Habitual User of Opioid Painkillers?

During the time Prince was found, authorities found the Fentanyl opioid medication on his body. CNN reported that one of Prince's half-siblings said that the pop icon regularly used opioid fentanyl Percocet for his performance and not for recreational drug use.

It is not also known whether Prince had a prescription for the opioid painkiller fentanyl, New York Times shared. The sheriff's office is still investigating whether the alleged opioid addiction contributed to his death or if there were other factors.

According to the National Institutes of Health, fentanyl is a synthetic opiate that is more powerful than morphine. It is mostly used for patients to treat chronic and severe pain. Illegally obtained Fentanyl is often mixed with heroine or cocaine and the effects can cause euphoria, potent addiction, nausea, unconsciousness and even coma.

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