Arizona offensive lineman Zach Hemmila’s death last month resulted from the combined toxic effects of two prescription drugs, according to an autopsy report issued by the Pima County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.
The drugs found in Hemmila’s system and cited as the cause of his death were oxymorphone, an opiate painkiller, and alprazolam, an anxiety medication.
Hemmila, 22, died in his sleep on Aug. 7 or 8. His death was ruled an accident.
“Several wads” of chewing tobacco were found in Hemmila’s mouth, according to the autopsy report. No intact pills were discovered in his gastrointestinal system. His lungs were “markedly congested,” per the report, which is dated Aug. 8.
Messages left with Dr. Gregory Hess, the Chief Medical Examiner of Pima County, were not returned.
Hemmila, a redshirt senior from Chandler, was set to be the Wildcats’ starting center this season. The team is honoring him throughout the season with helmet stickers and patches on coaches’ hats.
“Arizona Athletics continues to mourn the passing of Zach Hemmila,” the UA said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “We will honor the family’s request for privacy and support them in any way we can.”
The brand name for oxymorphone is Opana. Hemmila had a concentration of 15.3 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) in his system, according to the autopsy report. The recommended therapeutic range is 1-5 ng/ml, the autopsy report stated.
According to drugs.com, an independent medical information website, therapeutic range refers to the dosage “usually expected to achieve desired therapeutic effects. Some patients require doses (or concentrations) above or below this range. Some patients will experience drug toxicity within this range.”
Hemmila had 11.8 ng/ml of alprazolam in his system, near the bottom of the therapeutic range (11-40), the autopsy stated. The brand name for alprazolam is Xanax. Hemmila also had citalopram, an anti-depressant, in his system, according to the report. The concentration of citalopram was 31.3 ng/ml, also well within the therapeutic range (10-120), the report stated. The brand name for citalopram is Celexa.
On Aug. 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it would require warning labels for nearly 400 products detailing the serious risks associated with combining certain opioid medications and depressant drugs called benzodiazepines. The risks include extreme sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma and death. Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine.
