Prince's toxicology report indicates he had excessively high levels of the drug fentanyl in his system
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FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2007, file photo, Prince performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XLI football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Carver County prosecutors have agreed to provide Prince's siblings with documents connected to their investigation into his death. John Goetz, an attorney for Prince's siblings, says he expects prosecutors will provide the medical examiner's autopsy investigation this week and the remaining investigative files next week. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
A newly discovered report gives a much clearer picture as to Prince’s cause of death in 2016.
According to a toxicology report obtained by the Associated Press from Prince’s autopsy, he had what experts call an “exceedingly high” concentration of fentanyl in his body at the time of his death. For those unfamiliar, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is said to be 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Prince was found dead in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate and many were curious if drugs played a role in the famed musician’s demise. News that he had the drug in his system is not new, as that information came to light roughly six weeks after his death. However, the new confidential report gives a bit of scope as to how much he was dealing with when he died.
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Experts say the amount in his system was high, even for someone suffering from chronic pain. The report notes that he had 67.8 micrograms per liter in his system. Fatalities from the drug have been documented in people with blood levels ranging anywhere from three to 58 micrograms per liter.
The report also says the level of fentanyl in Prince's liver was 450 micrograms per kilogram, and notes that liver concentrations greater than 69 micrograms per kilogram "seem to represent overdose or fatal toxicity cases."
Based on findings of the drug in his stomach and blood, it’s clear that he took the drug orally and had enough time for it to spread into his system before he died. Reports from the time of Prince’s death indicated that police found multiple bottles of pills around his residence and that the origin of those pills was still undetermined.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.