Billy Mays Autopsy Report

Billy Mays, who elevated the art of the television sales spiel to a fevered pitch, apparently died of a heart attack, Florida authorities said.

The final cause of death will not be known until after toxicology results are available, Dr. Vernard Adams said at a Monday news conference.

Mays, 50, was pronounced dead at his home near Tampa Sunday morning, after his wife Deborah found him unresponsive, Tampa police said.

The autopsy conducted Monday morning revealed Mays suffered from hypertensive heart disease, Adams said.

"It's not uncommon to have a sudden death with this kind of disease," Adams said.

The Hillsborough, FL County Medical Examiner released autopsy results today that indicate that Mays most likely died from complications due to heart disease, and that Mays showed signs of hypertension and arteriosclerotic disease of the heart - both known risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), responsible for more than 300,000 deaths each year in the US.

"Billy Mays was seen by millions of Americans as an energetic and seemingly healthy middle-aged man. His sudden death is a tragedy, and we at SCAA extend our deepest sympathy to his family," said Dr. Vince Mosesso, SCAA's medical director and associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Unfortunately and tragically, in many cases the first sign of heart disease is sudden cardiac arrest. Mr. Mays' death is a reminder that we should all make every effort to know about, avoid or modify the possible risk factors for heart disease. Those with diagnosed heart disease should be vigilant in their medical care and lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest."

Dr. Mosesso said that along with high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (also known as coronary artery disease), other known risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest include a previous heart attack, heart failure, diabetes, smoking, and obesity. He urged patients to follow some basic healthy heart