- Michael Jackson was reportedly taking a cocktail of nine prescription drugs before his death.

As the world mourns, Michael Jackson's family face the stark reality of a brother who faced more pressure than perhaps any other entertainer. The way he dealt with this pressure? Prescription drugs.

Such was Jackson's addiction that his enormous pill bills at one pharmacy reached $100,000 before he was taken to court.

The list of drugs

The drugs Michael Jackson was said to be taking daily right before his death were:

• Demerol - narcotic painkiller
• Dilaudid - morphine-based painkiller
• Vicodin - opiate derived from codeine
• Oxycontin - opium-based painkiller
• Soma - muscle relaxant
• Xanax - sedative
• Zoloft - anti-depressant
• Paxil - anti-depressant

Family sadness

The family described their loss to People Magazine as "one of the darkest moments of our lives. We find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter."

 

While he did not often travel with his family, Jackson is known to have kept a doctor and physical trainer in his entourage at all times. 

It was his current doctor, a Mr Conrad Murray, who was present and able to administer CPR as the ambulances were called. The doctor is now the subject of some suspicion after the star's untimely death despite assurances by cops

Was Jacko's prescription drug regime to blame? 

• At the time of his death Jackson weighed 57kg, while being 175cm (5"10).
• It's claimed he ate only one meal a day (Report: The Sun)
  
• Jackson's private physician Dr Conrad Murray is now at the centre of the investigation into Jackson's death.
• It's reported Dr Murray may have injected Jackson an hour before his death with Demerol, a powerful painkiller.
• There are also questions about why Dr Murray was giving Jackson CPR on a bed - any cardiologist should know that CPR should be given on a hard surface.
• Jackson's former nanny, Grace Rwarmba, has claimed in an interview with British newspapers she regularly had to pump Jackson's stomach to remove cocktails of painkillers before she was dismissed in December last year.

 

Our Sunrise GP Dr Ginni Mansberg discusses Jackson's drug cocktail

• Dr Mansberg says "the more drugs you put into your system, the greater the risk of overdose".
• Some of the drugs Jackson was taking were very powerful anti-depressants, including Dilaudid (also called Hydromorphone), a painkiller usually reserved for cancer patients - this drug has five times the potency of morphine.
• Demerol (known in Australia as Pethadine) was taken away from doctors in 2005 by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee because of the risk to patients.
• Dr Mansberg says that if taken, Demerol can greatly restricted breathing.
• Dr Mansberg believes Jackson's personal physician could face criminal charges and/or being struck off the doctor's register in the US.
• Dr Mansberg says two of the biggest red flags for people addicted to prescription drugs are the combination of painkillers and sedatives.