Death of a Pitchman: Heart Disease Killed Billy Mays

What killed TV pitchman Billy Mays?  The answer appears to be heart disease, not a bump to the head, according to the Hillsborough County (Florida) medical examiner.  The final cause of death will not be known until after toxicology results are available, Dr. Vernard Adams said at a Monday news conference.

Mays, 50, was declared dead at his home near Tampa Sunday morning after his wife Deborah found him unresponsive. The autopsy conducted this morning revealed Mays suffered from hypertensive heart disease (see below for Q&A).  "It's not uncommon to have a sudden death with this kind of disease," Adams said.

Billy Mays had told a friend before he went to sleep Saturday he was not feeling well.  "He said he was groggy, he wasn't feeling that great. He wanted to get some sleep," Todd Schnitt said. 

Hypertensive heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death associated with high blood pressure and is actually a group of disorders that include heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy (excessive thickening of the heart muscle), according to WebMd. 

To calculate your risk of heart attack or heart disease in the next 10 years, click here for the Mayo Clinic's excellent tool

Q&A about Hypertensive Heart Disease:

> How is Hypertensive Heart Disease Diagnosed

Doctors look for telltale signs including:

• High blood pressure
• Enlarged heart and irregular heartbeat
• Fluid in the lungs or lower extremities
• Unusual heart sounds

Doctors conduct a variety of tests to diagnose hypertensive heart disease, including a electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, cardiac stress test, chest X-ray, and coronary angiogram.

> How Is Hypertensive Heart Disease Treated?

Treating hypertensive heart disease means treating your underlying high blood pressure. Your doctor may prescribe a variety of medications to control your high blood pressure.  Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes including:

In addition, your doctor may advise you to make changes to your lifestyle, including diet, weight, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and frequent medical checkups.  In some cases, you may require surgery to correct the heart disease, including coronary bypass, mitral valve repair and vascular surgeries.

For more information about surviving and thriving in the face of hypertention, please visit the Survivors Club High Blood Pressure Support Center.