Autopsy says Ephedrine caused death of pitcher

The Almighty

Banned. Put the Board in jeopardy.
Ephedrine helped cause Bechler's death

Autopsy also cites liver problem, hypertension, poor diet

Posted: Tuesday February 18, 2003 3:36 PM
Updated: Tuesday February 18, 2003 4:43 PM


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CNN) -- The fatal heatstroke that killed a Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect was brought on by hypertension, a liver problem, an unhealthy diet and the use of a weight-reduction medication containing ephedrine, according to a preliminary investigation.

Broward County medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper performed an autopsy Tuesday morning on Steve Bechler, a 23-year-old right-hander who died Monday, less than 24 hours after collapsing during spring training. He was the first professional baseball player ever to die of heatstroke.

Perper said the findings are preliminary and he is waiting further for toxicology results.

Calling Bechler's death "very unfortunate and very tragic," Perper urged Major League Baseball to ban the use of medication containing ephedrine, saying pro football and Olympic athletes are not allowed to use such supplements.

Bechler had been taking Xenadrine, an over-the-counter drug containing ephedra, which has been linked to heatstroke and heart trouble, Perper said.

The preliminary autopsy findings indicated Bechler died from complications of heatstroke that caused multi-organ failure. During a workout Sunday, his temperature reached as high as 108.

The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Bechler was an overweight athlete pushing himself in warm, humid weather much different from the climate in his hometown of Medford, Ore. He also hadn't eaten much solid food in the two days before he fell ill.

The workout Sunday left Bechler pale and dizzy. When his condition deteriorated, he was carried from the clubhouse to an ambulance on a stretcher. He spent the night in intensive care and died Monday morning at Northridge Medical Center.

Bechler was a third-round draft pick by the Orioles in 1998. He made his major league debut last September, going 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA in three relief appearances. He was expected to begin this season with the club's new Class AAA affiliate in Ottawa.

Bechler spent most of last year at Class AAA Rochester, going 6-11 with a 4.09 ERA in 24 starts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the guy is out of shape, hasnt eaten any food in a few days, and is doing strenuous activities in hot weather....and they say ephedrine killed him.

:rolleyes:
 
not to mention they did not state yet his family history/incidence of heart cardiovascular disease
 
not to mention they did not state yet his family history/incidence of heart cardiovascular disease

Come on now why would they do that?, they already have their job done. As soon as someone keals over and dies and he has ephedrine in his body thats what they are gonna blame it on.
 
What a horrible thing to have happened. 23 years old. I'm 26 and have done alot worse than ephedrine. I feel for his family and friends.
 
Among the other factors contributing to Bechler’s death, Perper said, were that he had high blood pressure and liver abnormalities.

Bechler was an overweight athlete pushing himself in warm, humid weather much different from the climate in his hometown of Medford, Ore. He also hadn’t eaten much solid food in the two days before he fell ill.
 
whos fault is it really? the drug or his? if he had hypertension along with other liver abnormalities, why was he taking it and not being safe? he hasnt eated solid foods in two days?
 
i feel its his fault. he did not take the proper precautions. he pushed himself to hard and probably did not heed the warnings his body was giving him. i am sure the signs were there just like they were in cory stringers case. your body will tell you when to stop if you dont listen to it .

your fault

its a shame so young with a bright future

the media will blow this thing up
 
The Almighty said:


The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Bechler was an overweight athlete pushing himself in warm, humid weather much different from the climate in his hometown of Medford, Ore. He also hadn't eaten much solid food in the two days before he fell ill.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the guy is out of shape, hasnt eaten any food in a few days, and is doing strenuous activities in hot weather....and they say ephedrine killed him.

:rolleyes:
Couldn't have said it better!:biggthump
 
The Almighty said:

So the guy is out of shape, hasnt eaten any food in a few days, and is doing strenuous activities in hot weather....and they say ephedrine killed him.

Unbelievable!
 
grafix-gnc said:
whos fault is it really? the drug or his? if he had hypertension along with other liver abnormalities, why was he taking it and not being safe? he hasnt eated solid foods in two days?

Well.....I agree and then again I don't. Let's just say he had hypertension, would he have known about it?...., not necessarily, remember it usually does not show signs until there has been some damage done.

So who's fault is it?......his for not knowing his bp was high......., or the drugs for further aggravating it.

Just another good example of the importance of monitoring your bp when taking substances that could raise it to dangerous levels. You know........ stuff like AAS, clen, etc.
 
StoneColdNTO said:
Well.....I agree and then again I don't. Let's just say he had hypertension, would he have known about it?...., not necessarily, remember it usually does not show signs until there has been some damage done.

So who's fault is it?......his for not knowing his bp was high......., or the drugs for further aggravating it.

Just another good example of the importance of monitoring your bp when taking substances that could raise it to dangerous levels. You know........ stuff like AAS, clen, etc.

true. but, this should be a reminder to people, you need to do some research on the supplement you will be taking and your body, if you can take it. This should apply to over the counter supplementation as well. You wouldnt wanna take White Willow bark or any other blood thinner if you have hemophilia. just an example
 
Silverback316 said:
I am sure this will be a part of the FDA's case in getting it banned. ... the guys on my team would seriously pop 6 to 7 if not more Ripped Fuel before practice to get them through all the drills. I am curious as to how much this guy took as it wouldn't surprise me if he overdosed on it.

I wonder how much he took too; I've read some people talking about taking *insane* amounts of the stuff, and taking it for too long.
 
There was just a story on NBCs Today about his death and the ephedra link. The reporter finished up by saying now maybe the FDA will have enough to finally get this dangerous drug regulated.

I hate to say it because I feel sorry for this guys family but the blame lays squarely on his own back. He made a decision to take the ephedra he should have read the warnings and stopped training when he started feeling like he was having a problem. I know my blood pressure can get high when I'm on AS or ephedra. I monitor it closely so I don't drop over dead. I know what risks I'm taking and take precautions when I'm on.
 
I am sick and tired of this bs, I feel bad that he died, but I mean we are not on the verge of outlawing alcohol and tobacco and these are far worse problems than ephedra, look at all the deaths these cause.
 
I feel sorry for him. But ephendra is use full for weight control. Taking a large amount to just finnish your drill at such high temp on a empty stomach for two days will kill anyone. Making it bad for everyone. If followed correctly and used in a nonridiculus environment then it is very safe.
 
This is all such BS! I mean c'mon, we all know that the drug is safe IF USED PROPERLY!!! So because some dumbfuk used it irresponsibly we should all pay for the consiquence?
Like said in a earlier post. Alcohol and tobacco is far worse, yet they are still there and will be, forever!

I am sorry that he died, I mean he is the same age as me, I couldn't even imagine. But the guy really did bring it on himself!!
 
Back
Top