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 Kinkade, one of America's most popular artists, painted more than 1,000 works including cabins, nature scenes and seascapes.
May 8th, 2012
05:35 PM ET
Lethal combo killed artist Thomas KinkadeThe artist Thomas Kinkade, 54, died in April from a lethal combination of alcohol and Valium, according to an autopsy report from the Santa Clara County, California, medical examiner. Alcohol and Valium, also known as diazepam, are both depressants that slow down the central nervous system. These depressants slow down the brain and also decrease the heart rate, lower the blood pressure and cause lethargy. “Because your brain will control autonomic function like heart beat, breathing, when the concentration is so high that area of the brain is affected, it does not function,” said Douglas Rohde, supervisor of chemistry and toxicology at Lake County Crime Laboratory in Ohio. Rohde is not involved in Kinkade’s case. This could knock a person into a coma, and then breathing and heart beat could stop. Kinkade’s autopsy report cited "acute ethanol and diazepam intoxication" as the cause of death and the manner of death "accidental." When the two substances are combined, the alcohol heightens the effects of Valium. This drug is a benzodiazepine, a widely prescribed type of medication. It's prescribed for sedation, sleep and relief from anxiety and muscle spasms. The drug comes with warnings about alcohol use. “When the patient mixes alcohol plus Valium, often times the effect can be greater than those alone,” said Bruce Goldberger, professor and director of toxicology at the University of Florida Medicine. “This phenomenon is known as synergistic. So 1 plus 1 is not 2, but 3 or 4, demonstrating an enhanced effect, rather than taking the drugs alone.” Deaths due to this mixture have been commonplace for decades, he added. The combination could cause euphoria, but the mix is highly risky because it, “essentially shuts down the normal processes of the brain which can lead to death,” Goldberger said. Kinkade also had heart disease, according to the autopsy. But it was not listed as a cause of death. His brother had previously told the San Jose Mercury News that the artist had battled alcoholism for four or five years.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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If you get lucky (after taking too much valium with booze) you will simply black out, and never recover the memories of what you did. Not that anything like that has ever happened to me...
that is an irresponsible post.
Try Restoril or Ativan for an added effect...
HEY Billy, just to let you know. sounds like you take a number of things so you probably have what is known as a "high tolerance" to certain meds. valium is a benzo, and no, it's not as weak as you would like to make it out to be. you prolly don't feel anything from it because of other drugs, rx or otherwise, that you have taken or still do. if this artist hasnt done any benzos or anything before, then yes, he could most certainly die from the combo.
billy. you have some of the stupidest posts in this thread. youre either a highschool kid who thinks its fun to kick around a few pills and booze and hasnt died from it yet, or youre just a troll. just because you dont "get high" on valium doesnt make it weak or not dangerous, just means your chemistry is resilient to that chemical. stop acting like a tough guy and bragging on your chemical prowess. this dude died from drinking and taking valium. its been happening for many many years. just because you think you are a tough guy and can eat 500 valium and sit still on your bench doesnt give you a medal. get over yourself.
Synergistic effect with Valium? Give me a break, it is Valium not Phenobarbital! Valium is the wussiest of benzos!
Either this man downed more than a 1/5 of hard liquor with an entire bottle of Valium, or this is BS.
Now that I've said it, I am starting to think that is what happened, but that would not be accidental. Suicide...
Prescription Drugs have robbed far too many people of their dignity and lives. Big Pharma is the REAL drug cartel in North America. Their overmedicating of the American public through obscene advertising leads to nearly 100,000 deaths per year! Prescription drugs are more dangerous than any felony drug substance in the world including heroin, cocaine and even alcohol combined. Read about this issue and what’s killing people at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/07/illustration-friday-800-milligrams.html
You are correct and I appreciate your responsible comment.
Come on its not like you can go into seizures and die from benzodiazpine withdrawls or anything, oh wait, nevermind you can. Pot helped me get off Benzos, now I am completely sober, but thank god for the pot when I needed it.
I have known a few to die from the legal prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco but for some reason I cannot think of anyone I've know of dying from pot.
To what extent is Kinkade responsible?
Here we go again – blaming the drug companies... because they are the one's holding guns to your heads forcing you to take drug. Bottom line is the everyone wants the easy way out... just take a pill to fix your health and heart. How about some exercise and healthy eating? No... because that requires effort. Most chronic diseases are caused by LIFE STYLE CHOICES. Still – if you get with cancer or something serious, you'll be the first one knocking of the doors of those pharmaceutical cartels. You probably think illness is all a conspiracy created by the drug companies, too (because people that work for drug companies don't get sick, right?). What a riot!
Alchohol is toxic to human tissue. ALL prescription drugs are poison, I take a lot of medicine for my many health issues and I read the fine print. I do NOT mix the two, if a drink with a certain meal is wanted, certain pills are not taken then – period.
Surprise- No one is leaving feedback. This guy was a total sellout in the art market.
Nothing of value was lost.
I work at poison control and let me assure you valium and ethanol are no joke. to make the statement that valium is a weak benzodiazpine is inaccurate. Valium is very strong and mixed with the wrong meds will kill you. People are irresponsible with medicatinos and as a result the number of people dying from accidental overdoses is rising. More people are dying from prescription medications than in car accidents.
Valium is the weakest benzodiazpine, I've never been able to even feel them. Valium is known to be the weakest, it is not just my opinion.
Unfortunately, many don't understand how powerful benzos can be, and don't pay attention to warning labels. Very sad.
Valium is not a REAL benzo, it is as weak as can be. If this guy died from the combo of the two it was suicide, you'd have to eat a bottle of these on top of drinking a 1/5 of hard liquor.
Eating a bottle of Valium by itself will not kill you, although you may sleep for a couple of days and lose your memories.
How stupid can you be to combine Valium & alcohol in any amount?
It is actually pretty safe, valium is really weak, and the synergistic effect is for the most part BS for valium and alcohol. If he died from this it had to have been suicide, especially if he was familiar with taking these drugs, which he was.
Now if he had taken phenobarbital and drank alcohol, that is totally retarded, just ask Marilyn Monroe.
and Judy Garland !
Agree with you all who say something else had o be going on here. In Pharmacy School we learned that you could tke a whole bottle of Valium and not die. The experts quoted in the article were toxicologists and crime lab "experts". If he did from this combo, he knew what he was doing.
WHEN WILL THE GOVERNMENT CRACK DOWN ON THESE OVERPAID DRUG DEALERS? AKA DOCTORS. THATS WHY ELVIS DIED , MICHAEL JACKSON ... AND COUNTLESS OTHERS, WHO DO THEY HAVE TO OVER PRESCRIBE MEDS. TO BEFORE THY'RE STOPPED? IT'S SAD!!!
Personal responsibility here IMO.
98% of physicians are responsible when prescribing medications and they MUST have access to treat pain and anxiety with all mediactions that exist. Let them be doctors and stop blaming the 98% of responsible ones for the 2% of irresponsible ones.
It's like blaming guns for killing people, dude. Anyone with a brain knows NOT to mix alcohol with downers. It's Darwin at work here.
Good lord people, are you really going to go back and forth online arguing about how strong this or that drug is? You just sound so dumb. Give it a rest already.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
I predict that someday soon the Sarah Palin family trailer will become as big a vacation destination as Graceland. Baggers and birthers from the four corners of the bible belt will make the pilgrimage, gladly paying $25, $35, or more for the chance to tour Sarah Palin's trailer and to go out back and see the actual outhouse where she took her morning dump.
As a 'Bagger and a Birther, I would gladly and PROUDLY pay $100 to see where Sarah Palin took her morning dumps.
cleshflesh
And yet cannabis is still illegal
valium is lame xanax is much better. people benefit greatly from pain killers and benzos lets not overreact when irresponsible people OD. alcohol and driving dont mix either but no one wants to illegalize cars.
If he had relaxed with something that grew out of the ground, he'd still be alive today. What a waste.
Bob Ross's best student.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
The discussions here on a death like this seem to always raise questions about what others want to claim that they know or don't know anything about the actual chemistry of pharmaceutical drugs. I see no evidence here in the story or facts from others in the comments about why Kinkade had resorted to this dangerous combination other than conjecture that he wanted the high to escape his alcoholic depression. It is sad that he had a family and children and all that money but was apparently unhappy. I would like others here that comment to inform us if they are artists. Thank you, Mark Seibold, Retired IT Technician, Awarded and Published in NASA Artist-Astronomy Educator, Portland Oregon
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I think you need to give the Valium a break, you've had enough
This is what is going to happen to my friend. His Doolicctor knows he is an alcaholic,as he went to his doctor drunk before,and he has told his doctor he is addicted to the valiums and his booze. So why his doctor continues writting him the valiums is way beyond me..to me he will kill him,cause he knows what he is doing to himself with them..help someone!