The cause of death for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actor Nicholas Brendon has been released months after his death.
Brendon, who played Xander Harris on the television show, died on March 20 at the age of 54, Deadline reported.
Putnam County Coroner Todd Zeiner said Brendon died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease with acute pneumonia and previous myocardial infarction as contributing factors. The mechanism of death was a 90% blockage in his right coronary artery. Brendon’s death was ruled natural, according to People magazine.
A myocardial infarction is a heart attack, while atherosclerosis is a buildup of plaque in the arteries restricting blood flow, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Zeiner added that law enforcement “found no obvious signs of foul play and assisted me with cataloging the scene. Nothing seemed out of place or disturbed.”
A friend of the actor’s was at his home and had called 911.
“Theresa (Fortier) stated the decedent had been having a persistent cough and had been self medicating with over the counter medications. He had been complaining about chest pain. She recommended a hospital, but he declined,” Zeiner said in the report.
Entertainment Weekly said Fortier was his manager.
“He was a longtime smoker and was apprehensive about going due to his recent back surgery. She advised he had a recent heart attack several years ago, but he declined any further treatment at that time,” the coroner said.
Brendon’s family, in an Instagram post announcing his death, said that, “He passed in his sleep of natural causes.”
While Brendon was best known in his “Buffy” role, he also starred in “Criminal Minds,” “Private Practice” and “Kitchen Confidential,” according to his IMDB profile.