Heart problems killed Savage

Hot News Today is about Heart problems killed Savage : It was his heart — not the car crash — that caused the May 20 death of former professional wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage, according to the autopsy report released Thursday by the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner's Office.

The medical examiner's report said Savage, whose non-wrestling name was Randy Poffo, had an enlarged heart with severe atherosclerosis of his coronary arteries. The autopsy also noted Savage received only minor cuts and bruises from the accident.

Savage was pronounced dead at Largo Medical Center after the accident, which happened when Savage hit a tree in Seminole.


The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

"He had sustained no trauma from that crash," said William Pellan, the medical examiner's office director of investigations. "So the crash had nothing to do with his death. He just happened to be driving when he had a cardiovascular event."

He may have had a heart attack, Pellan said. He may have had some type of arrhythmia and his heart stopped beating, or his heart may have simply stopped beating, he said.

"We don't see evidence of it (a heart attack) because he died right away," Pellan said.

Savage did have heart disease and his coronary arteries were greater than 90 percent blocked, Pellan said.

The medical examiner's toxicology report said there was nothing in Savage's system that would have been a contributing factor to the accident or his death.

Savage was driving a 2009 Jeep Wrangler west on Park Boulevard, just west of 113th Street in Seminole, when he lost control of the vehicle. The Wrangler went over the median, across the eastbound lanes and hopped a curb before crashing head-on into a tree. His wife, Barbara Poffo, was a passenger and suffered minor injuries in the morning crash.

Savage's pro wrestling career spanned more than two decades. His raspy voice, including his signature "Oh, yeah," was well-known to wrestling fans and those who saw his commercials for Slim Jim beef jerky.

Savage strutted in sunglasses and gaudy costumes cut to show off his muscles and frame his championship belts.

He also was known for his charity work, including appearances at an annual Christmas concert for underprivileged children in Tampa.

source:http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2011/jul/01/MENEWSO10-heart-problems-killed-savage-ar-241090/