Coroner: Danny Gans Died From Drug Reaction

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans' death was accidental, caused by a prescription painkiller, a coroner said Tuesday.

Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said an autopsy, toxicology and microscopic samples showed the 52-year-old Gans died from toxic levels of hydromorphone. The opiate drug, commonly marketed under the brand name Dilaudid, is used to treat chronic pain, which Gans suffered from, Murphy said.

Murphy said Gans had heart disease caused by high blood pressure _ which makes the heart work overtime and left him more susceptible to heart irregularities. Gans also had a condition (polycythemia) that results in too many red blood cells, Murphy said. (The condition is the opposite of anemia.)

"Mr. Gans' health conditions placed him at greater risk for heart irregularities, and the hydromorphone was a factor in exacerbating those risks," Murphy said. "We clearly listed this as accidental."

Gans was found dead in bed at home in Henderson early May 1 after his wife, Julie, reported she couldn't rouse him.

Upon Gans' death, his manager Chip Lightman described Gans as someone who watched his diet, loved to perform and relished his involvement in Las Vegas area fundraisers and philanthropic causes.

"I managed him 18 years and health was never an issue," Lightman told The Associated Press at the time. "Danny lived a good, clean Christian life. He was not a drug user. He would have a glass of wine because they say red wine is good for you. He didn't smoke."

On Tuesday, Lightman said: "Everyone knew he had two shoulder surgeries and excruciating back problems."

Lightman attributed Gans' chronic pain to back injuries dating to his years playing minor league baseball and to the rigors of his performances.

A one-time minor league baseball player, Gans was a singer-actor-impressionist who spent more than a decade working his way to top billing at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.

His show brought impressions in rapid-fire succession _ Tony Bennett, Al Pacino, Sarah Vaughan, Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Kermit the Frog, Jimmy Stewart.

A May 21 memorial drew about 1,000 guests at the Encore.

Comments

[alejandroish]

I thought dilaudid was usually used to treat pain from cancer.

[jalowe1957]

So Danny Gans erred in taking his dilaudid and inadvertently had some red wine.

Why am I getting the impression that there's something here that stinks like a dead fish?

[donklinestiver]

Dilaudid for chronic pain is like crank for mild drowsiness. I have 10,000 charts and 45 years experience. I treat dozens of pain patients. I may have used dilaudid a time or two in the past total.. Personally however I wouldnt go to sleep after dilaudid or methadone without a respirator with or without wine or benzo. The pathologist calling a drug overdosage something esoteric is just plain bull s....

[Clavis]

It's a shame when any entertainer dies. He brought a lot of people a lot of joy.

[ThunderDolt]

Dilaudid + red wine = overdose. Drug reaction my dupa. There's a reason that little label says don't drink alcohol with this medication.

[Ihaveadream]

I had a college friend who died from liver cancer at 23 and Dilaudid was what she was given at the end for the extreme pain. I can't imagine how anyone could function taking this stuff on a regular basis and why would any doctor prescribe this without checking the person for contraindications. Not that this guy didn't have the money and ability to get the best health care available?

[taxisdaddy]

Dilaudid?! It was developed in the '20s as an alternative to heroin. It was one of Elvis Presley's favorites. Although it has legitimate uses, the only people I've ever known who received dilaudid prescriptions were terminal cancer patients. This is not a drug that is prescribed lightly, and while it may be totally legitimate, it's certainly an eyebrow-raising choice for back pain.

[drec1500Madrid]

another christian drug abuser...how surprising.

[MedinaM]

Whoa now...you don't know whether or not he abused the drugs. Don't make outrageous comments without facts. People in Vegas didn't see him as some religious figure. He was probably the most popular entertainer out here. We loved him for what he did on the stage. To throw out nonsense like that is simply out of line.

[grata2ude]

Wow you're GOP is showing.

[crayola 08b]

poor guy. i'd never heard of him before he died, but still it's a shame that he left well before his time.

[MedinaM]

Some people on here have made some ridiculous remarks. This man is a legend here in Las Vegas and had the respect of most if not all Las Vegas people. His death is still so sad and we hope his family and friends get answers.

[herbprof]

A brilliant man and career cut short, very sad for his family and a loss for all of us. But an accident, I don't think so, poorly managed health care; the man was killed by modern medicine and and the side effects of their drugs. We see it all too often in the entertainment industry; I wonder how many we do not hear about, the average person. I would have liked to have seen this article question his death and the subject of prescribed medicine death a little more deeply; something we should expect from Huffington. Paul

[gotalifepost]

He od'd on morphine.

[SouthJerseySteve]

Same as Heath Ledger? How sad.

[skippypicasso]

I know it's not really the end of the story, but it's really a private matter, so best to just let it go...RIP.

[jukesgrrl]

Except it's not really private if Gans' employer is using the coroner's (public) office to get a verdict of "accidental" so his insurance policy will pay off. Also, initial reports of this stated clearly that it was NOT Gans' wife who called 911. Now they're saying it was.

[beekeeper]

UH toxic levels spells of abuse to me