Carrie Fisher’s Death Blamed on Sleep Apnea, Other Factors

Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher died from sleep apnea and other factors, though the exact cause remains undetermined, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said late Friday. In a short summary on its findings, the coroner’s office listed sleep apnea as a cause of death, in addition to “atherosclerotic heart disease” and “drug use.” The statement did not elaborate on what drugs were found in Fisher’s system, but drug use is known to worsen symptoms of sleep apnea. Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, issued her own statement to People in response to the coroner’s findings late Friday, saying her mother had “battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life.” “She ultimately died of it,” she said. Fisher died at age 60 in December, with her death initially blamed on cardiac arrest.