Prince overdosed on the painkiller Percocet that he was taking for a chronic hip problem six days before his death.
The ‘Purple Rain’ hitmaker – who was found dead at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota on April 21 – had to be given a "save shot" almost a week before his passing after he became reliant on the highly-addictive drug, which contains acetaminophen and oxycodone, to treat the acute pain he was battling in his joints for years, TMZ reports.
Prince – who had used a cane to help him get around for many years – had long needed a double hip replacement but reportedly turned it down on numerous occasions because he was worried it would require a blood transfusion, which would have conflicted with his beliefs as a Jehovah Witness.
The 57-year-old singer was rushed to hospital in Moline, Illinois on April 15 for the shot, which is administered to counteract the effects of opiates, after being taken ill on his private jet on the way back from a gig in Atlanta.
A post-mortem was carried out on Prince’s body yesterday (22.04.16) and it confirmed there had been no trauma or violence in the time leading up to the singer’s death.
And, although it could be weeks before his cause of death is revealed, the Examiner’s Officer has stated there is "no reason to believe" that Prince had committed suicide.
The star’s body has now been released to his family.
Prince overdosed on Percocet before death
