Nicholas Brendon died of natural causes from atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, the Putnam County coroner said Tuesday, closing the question that followed the actor’s death at 54. Coroner Todd Zeiner said the mechanism of death was a 90% blockage in the right coronary artery.
The report also listed acute pneumonia and a previous myocardial infarction as contributing factors. Brendon had been coughing, complaining about chest pain and self-medicating with over-the-counter drugs, and he declined a hospital recommendation even though he was apprehensive about going because of recent back surgery.
Brendon was found dead on March 20, and his family said at the time that he passed in his sleep of natural causes. They also said he had recently discovered a passion for painting and art. In videos filmed from his home’s back deck before his death, he appeared markedly ill, coughing and speaking with a raspy voice.
The coroner’s office said law enforcement found no obvious signs of foul play at the scene. The autopsy found a markedly enlarged heart, severe stenosis of the right coronary artery, moderate stenosis of the left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries, acute pneumonia and inflammation of the small bowel, which was most likely tied to ischemic changes related to cardiogenic shock.
Brendon, who was known for his role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, had been hospitalized after a cardiac incident in August 2022. A since-deleted Instagram post then said that Nicky was doing fine after he was rushed to emergency care. His family said he had struggled in the past and had been on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis.
Theresa Fortier called 911 from Brendon’s residence, and the coroner said he was a longtime smoker who had suffered a heart attack several years ago and declined further treatment at that time. With the autopsy now complete, the family’s statement that he died in his sleep is no longer a separate question but a medical finding backed by the records released Tuesday.
