While the coroner’s report on Carrie Fisher's death listed sleep apnea as the primary cause of death, it was added that a cocktail of illegal drugs also played a role.
The autopsy report also stated that a likely exposure to heroin could have suppressed her breathing as she went into cardiac arrest. But the report concluded: “The manner of death has been ruled undetermined.”
In addition to the Class-a drugs, Fisher was also taking Prozac, Abilify, Lamictal and oxycodone.
Carrie Fisher was only 60 years old when she suffered a suspected heart attack on a flight home last Christmas from London to Los Angeles. She died in hospital some three days later, with her loved ones by her bedside.
The autopsy also pointed out that the actress's family objected to a full autopsy, which meant that coroner’s investigators had access to limited toxicology specimens. The report is based on toxicology results and an external examination of the body.
"The exposure to cocaine took place sometime approximately in the last 72 hours of the sample that was obtained," stated the report. "Based on the available toxicological information, we cannot establish the significance of the multiple substances that were detected in Ms. Fisher’s blood and tissue, with regard to the cause of death."
Reacting to the report, Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, told People magazine: “My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases…
"I know my Mom, she’d want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles. Seek help, fight for government funding for mental health programs. Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure.”
While the actress's brother, Todd Fisher told the Associated Press, “There’s nothing about this that is enlightening.... I am not shocked that part of her health was affected by drugs. If you want to know what killed her, it’s all of it.”

Leading the tributes at the time of her death, Harrison Ford proffered: "Carrie was one-of-a-kind, brilliant, original. Funny and emotionally fearless. She lived her life, bravely. My thoughts are with her daughter Billie, her Mother Debbie, her brother Todd and her many friends. We will all miss her."