Sleep apnea hits the news again.

lawdognellie · Post by **lawdognellie** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:14 pm

I just read on TMZ.com that rapper Pimp C (no idea who that is) apparently died as a result of a pre-existing condition of sleep apnea, combined with an elevated amounts of prescription codeine in his blood.

Sarah

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:23 pm

This is a bit disingenous and very misleading.

Many people with apnea die of lots of things that are at the most, loosely connected to apnea.

It is a bit of a leap to definitively connect the two.

lawdognellie · Post by **lawdognellie** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:29 pm

Allegedly that's what the coroner put down as COD (as per TMZ)

mellabella · Post by **mellabella** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:13 am

Apparently he never took the time to get treated for the apnea (which was exacerbated by a weight problem) and that plus the respiratory depressant effect of the cough syrup did him in. Lesson: don't take certain cough meds or sleep aids without using your CPAP that night as well!:

Death of 'Pimp C' Ruled Accidental; Mother Talks to KBMT
Brian Burns

Story Updated: Feb 4, 2008 at 10:21 PM CST
A Port Arthur man who mesmerized the world of rap music died accidentally.

That's the finding of the Los Angeles County coroner's office in the autopsy of Chad Butler also known as rapper Pimp C.

Ed Winter with the L-A County coroner's office tells KBMT 12 News, Butler had high levels of a cough syrup in his system.

He says the medication combined with Butler's weight and sleep apnea appear to be the cause of his death.

It dispels rumors that Butler may have attempted suicide.

The coroner's office says the medication appears to have been used therapeutically even though some in the rap world have used the drug recreationally.

Tonight, Butler's mother told KBMT 12 her son had not yet taken the time to get treatment for his sleep apnea.

Again, it's considered an accidental death.

Butler was found dead in an l-a hotel december 4th.

He was 33.

Find this article at:
http://www.kbmt12.com/news/local/15295281.html

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): news, CPAP

Sundown · Post by **Sundown** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:42 am

"The coroner's office said Pimp C had sleep apnea, which causes people to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time while sleeping. That illness combined with large amounts of prescription-strength cough syrup is what killed the rapper, coroner's Capt. Ed Winter said."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... pstoryview

He was 33.

odawa · Post by **odawa** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:19 pm

How does the coroner know he had sleep apnea?Is there a way to tell after you die? Excuse my ignorance, I just dont understand how it was determined.

lawdognellie · Post by **lawdognellie** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:10 pm

His mom told the coroner that he was diagnosed with OSA, but didn't use his machine. Also, a diagnosis would be in his medical charts, which a coroner would look at for COD. I don't believe a coroner could tell someone had OSA if there hadn't been a previous diagnosis.

Sarah