(L.A.) Andrew Breitbart, 43, Died in a Hospital

Case Number: 2012-01471

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 43-year-old Caucasian male that occurred in a hospital.

The coroner’s office has identified the man as Andrew Breitbart.

Weight: 251 pounds. Height: 6 feet 3 inches. Hair: Gray Brown

Manner of Death: Natural

Cause of Death A: Heart Failure

Cause of Death B: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Focal Coronary Atherosclerosis

The deputy medical examiner had requested toxicology testing, but no prescription or illicit drugs were found that could have precipitated his death. Blood alcohol level was .04%.

According to the coroner-investigator’s narrative, on February 29, a stranger witnessed Breitbart collapse on the sidewalk in front of 148 S. Barrington Avenue in the Brentwood/Westwood neighborhood and called 911 at approximately 11:36 pm.

When paramedics arrived, they found Breitbart not breathing. They administered four doses of epinephrine and shocked him four times.

He was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, arriving there at six minutes past midnight. He was in full arrest and despite the efforts of hospital staff, Breitbart succumbed to heart failure. Dr. Jo Feldman pronounced the death at 12:19 am.

Approximately a year earlier, Breibart had presented into the same ER via ambulance after experiencing shortness of breath. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the time, and after a few days, he was released home. He began dieting and exercising. Two weeks before his death, he had the flu and had also been under a lot of stress.

He did not smoke, was considered a light drinker, and had never abused drugs. There were no scars or tattoos on his body.

The medical examiner observed a contusion on his forehead, presumably acquired when he collapsed. No other trauma to the body was observed during the autopsy. He was circumcised. His heart weighed 720 grams. His stomach contained 500 cc of partially digested food including particles of roasted corn kernels and lettuce; no tablets or capsules were found. His descending colon showed diverticulosis. His appendix was present. There was nothing abnormal with his pancreas. His liver weighed 2300 grams and looked generally normal. His kidneys were unremarkable. His bladder contained 200 cc of clear amber urine, which tested negative for glucose, a result that suggests no diabetes. His prostate showed no abnormal enlargement. His spleen and lymph nodes were all normal. His thyroid, adrenals, and pituitary gland were normal.

His heart had no evidence of infection, but the left ventricle showed extensive hypertrophic changes, including enlargement of myocardial cells with prominent nuclei, as well as focal areas of fibrosis. A partial section of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery showed concentric thickening of the wall with up to 60% narrowing. Heart failure cells were found in the alveolar airspaces of his lungs.

RIP ANDREW JAMES BREITBART (February 1, 1969 – March 1, 2012)