Lisa Marie Presley’s cause of death revealed to be bowel obstruction; opioids may have contributed

Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January at the age of 54 was officially caused by complications resulting from a small bowel obstruction, according to the latest report from the L.A. County Coroner.

Per separate toxicology reports also released Thursday, there were levels of multiple opioids found in Presley’s blood, including oxycodone and buprenorphine, the latter of which is used to treat opioid overuse.

There were also trace levels of the antipsychotic drug quetiapine, which has the potential to increase the fatal risks of opioids, according to the National Library of Medicine.

TMZ first reported the findings, which fill out the story of Presley’s sudden passing on Jan. 12. She had suffered a medical emergency at home and was taken to the hospital, where she later went into cardiac arrest.

The primary cause of that medical emergency has now been determined to be a bowel obstruction, which could have been brought about by constipation from opioid use. According to reports, Presley had been prescribed opioids during her recovery from plastic surgery just months before her death, and had a history of “overmedicating.”

She also allegedly had been taking weight loss medication and reportedly lost between 40 and 50 pounds in the months leading up to her death.

In recent years, Presley’s battle with drug addiction had become well-documented.

The only daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley opened up about her struggles in the foreword to Harry Nelson’s 2019 book, “The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain.”

“Across America and the world, people are dying in mind-boggling numbers because of opioid and other drug overdoses,” Presley wrote. “Many more people are suffering silently, addicted to opioids and other substances. I am writing this in the hope that I can play a small part in focusing attention on this terrible crisis.”