| She was a reality TV star, Playboy Playmate and | | | | abused prescription medications, such as |
| former Guess model. Anna Nicole Smith, whose | | | | benzodiazepines, and narcotics. The abuse on |
| bizarre and colorful life came to a tragic end. She | | | | muscle relaxant pills is not as well recognized. |
| died on February 08, 2007. Smith, 39, collapsed | | | | Muscle relaxant pills are not really a class of drugs, |
| and was unresponsive while staying at the | | | | but rather a group of different drugs that each |
| Seminole Hard Rock Cafe Hotel and Casino. She | | | | has an overall sedative effect on the body. These |
| was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital in | | | | drugs do not act directly on the muscles, rather |
| Hollywood, Florida. Several days leaving up to | | | | they act centrally (in the brain) and are more of a |
| her death, Smith began experiencing chills, | | | | total body relaxant. Typically, muscle relaxants are |
| vomiting, and her temperature rose to 105 | | | | prescribed early in a course of back pain, on a |
| degree. On the morning she passed away, she | | | | short-term basis, to relieve low back pain |
| reported feeling weak, needed help getting to the | | | | associated with muscle spasms. |
| bathroom, and was found unresponsive and | | | | Muscle relaxant pills are frequently used in |
| unconscious hours later. Police investigators | | | | combination with other central nervous system |
| searched Anna Nicole Smith's hotel room late | | | | depressants, such as alcohol, benzodiazepines or |
| Thursday afternoon and found two key pieces of | | | | narcotics. They are used in three main ways: to |
| evidence: illegal narcotics and prescription | | | | prolong the effect of alcohol or a narcotic drug, to |
| medications. | | | | increase the effect of the primary drug of abuse |
| According to US Magazine, the drugs found in | | | | or to achieve the same effect with a smaller |
| Smith's system included a variety of prescription | | | | amount of alcohol or narcotic. Prescriptions for |
| pills. These include muscle relaxant pills that are | | | | muscle relaxant pills are usually easier to obtain |
| prescribed for treating insomnia and anxiety. | | | | than prescriptions for narcotics and are often less |
| Diazepam is most commonly prescribed as an | | | | expensive. People who use these pills sometimes |
| anti-anxiety drug or an anti-panic drug, and the | | | | substitute muscle relaxant pills when a narcotic is |
| effects include calmness, relaxation, and | | | | not available. In these circumstances, high doses |
| drowsiness. However, there can be adverse side | | | | may be used to achieve the desired sedative or |
| effects which can range from extreme | | | | mood-altering effect. |
| drowsiness, fatigue, and ataxia to loss of balance. | | | | The news about Anna Nicole Smith's death |
| Rarely, diazepam causes a paradoxical reaction | | | | shocked Hollywood, but the reports seems to |
| with excitability, muscle spasm, lack of sleep, and | | | | account the cause of her death is nothing new |
| rage. Confusion, depression, speech problems, and | | | | to them. Other high-profile celebrities such as Elvis |
| double vision are also rare side effects of | | | | Presley and Marilyn Monroe were also once |
| diazepam. Lorazepam and Oxazepam are also | | | | victims of substance abuse. However, in the case |
| used to treat anxiety disorders. Substance | | | | of Anna Nicole Smith, it was like a double |
| abuse, dependence and overdose are steadily | | | | whammy that hit her life. Her death came just |
| increasing problems in the United States, most | | | | five months after her 20-year-old son Daniel |
| especially among celebrities who seem can't to | | | | suddenly died under suspicious circumstances in |
| handle the many stresses of their lives. Most | | | | the Bahamas, which was also suspected to be a |
| physicians are aware of the more commonly | | | | case of drug overdose. |