Brittany Murphy Death: Did Diabetes Cause Cardiac Arrest?

Actress Brittany Murphy’s death in her Los Angeles home today (Dec. 20) of cardiac arrest could be related to a diabetic condition, and could also involve complications from drugs.

Murphy’s mother, Sharon, reportedly found her daughter unconscious in the shower and called 911. She told paramedics her daughter had a history of diabetes. At the age of 32, Murphy likely had an onset of childhood diabetes, known as Type 1.

If so, a heart attack is a symptom of long-term diabetes and a leading cause of death among diabetics. Police have launched an official investigation.

Did Drugs Contribute to Brittany Murphy’s Death? Click for Details

Type 1, or juvenile diabetes is caused by autoimmune destruction of the B cells of the pancreas which normally secrete insulin. Patients require insulin injections for survival.

Type 2 diabetes is much more common and less severe. It’s caused by insulin resistance, mainly due to obesity, with inadequate additional production of insulin by the body. The pancreas produces a reduced amount of insulin or the cells do not respond to the insulin, or both.

Depending on its severity and treatment, or lack thereof, diabetes can attack the blood vessels, increasing risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery obstruction, according to medical references.

No details have been released and an autopsy has yet to be conducted, but the coroner’s office said it will conduct an examination on Monday (Dec. 21) even though Murphy’s husband does not want her dissected.

If drugs are involved, Murphy’s heart may not have been able to handle the stress. She would be added to a growing list of celebrities who have died from drug overdoses.

That list includes most famously Michael Jackson, Health Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, and DJ Adam Goldstein. In all cases the drugs responsible were prescribed by a doctor.

Prescription drug abuse has long been a problem in Hollywood. Celebrities have no problem finding doctors willing to prescribe – and in some cases overprescribe – dangerous sedatives and painkillers.

Murphy was not known to have any health problems that would spark a cardiac arrest. A Cedars-Sinai Medical Center spokeswoman said Murphy was dead on arrival at 10:04 a.m. Sunday (Dec 20).

At 8 am this morning, LA paramedics responded to a call from at a home in the 1800 block of Rising Glen Road owned by British screenwriter Simon Monjack, who is married to Murphy.

Murphy’s career has been in eclipse for the past few years, although she had found steady work as the voice of animated characters in of Fox’s “King of the Hill” and Gloria the penguin in “Happy Feet.”

Brittany spoke with Access.com at a Los Angeles party on Dec. 3, and talked excitedly about the coming year.

“As far as having a New Year’s resolution, I’d love to have a child next year,” she said at the time. “But that’s kind of a large one!” according to the Web site.

The actress also spoke in glowing terms about her family. “I’ve been very blessed to have a really great loving husband,” she said. “I spend more time with my family than anyone else in the world”

She will appear in Sylvester Stallone’s new film, “The Expendables,” set for release next year.

Murphy landed her first job in Hollywood when she was 14, starring as Brenda Drexell in the series “Drexell’s Class.” She then went on to play Molly Morgan in the short-lived “The Torkelsons” spinoff “Almost Home.’

Her breakout roles include parts in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted,” with Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, and Clea DuVall, “Clueless” (1995) and “8 Mile,” an autobiographical movie about rapper Eminem, for which she won critical acclaim.

She also starred in the critically acclaimed Sin City (2005), and this year she was cast in the Lifetime TV movie, “Tribute,” as the main character, Cilla.

She also once dated Ashton Kutcher, with whom she co-starred in 2003’s romantic comedy “Just Married.”

Kutcher tweeted Sunday morning: “2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon.”

Murphy credited her mother for much of her success.

“When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me,” Murphy told the AP in 2003. “I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn’t stifle any of that. She always believed in me.”