LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Actor Chris Penn died last month from an enlarged heart, the Los Angeles County coroner's office has ruled.
Penn, 40, also had prescription medicines in his bloodstream, one of which may have been a contributing factor to his death, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
An autopsy and toxicology tests revealed Penn died of "nonspecific cardiomyopathy," a usually fatal disease of the heart muscle.
His heart was enlarged, weak and "could have given out at any time," coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey told the newspaper.
"Primarily, he just had a bad heart," Harvey said.
Phenergan, a commonly prescribed cough syrup that contains an antihistamine and codeine, played a role in his death as well, but "was not a direct cause," Harvey said. He had other prescription drugs in his system as well, but nothing illegal.
Phenergan can cause breathing problems in obese patients. Penn was 6 foot 2 and weighed 310 pounds when he was found dead at his Santa Monica, Calif., condo on Jan. 24.
