Asthma Caused Model’s Death

A promising 17-year-old model died of asthma, although it’s possible her condition was aggravated by using Primatene Mist, a medical examiner ruled.

Krissy Taylor was found unconscious by her sister, supermodel Niki Taylor, at the family’s home in suburban Pembroke Pines on July 2. Efforts to revive her failed and she was declared dead at a hospital.

An initial autopsy had failed to show an obvious cause of death, but relatives said Taylor had been using Primatene, a popular over-the-counter asthma remedy, because of shortness of breath. They said she had used the inhalant two hours before she died.

Dr. Joshua A. Perper, Broward County’s chief medical examiner, said Tuesday his follow-up tests showed that Taylor died of bronchial asthma, a previously undiagnosed condition that brought on cardiac arrhythmia, a rapid irregular heartbeat.

He said it was possible but not likely that Primatene Mist contributed to the heart arrhythmia. Tests showed that she had no alcohol or illegal drugs in her system when she died, he said. There was no evidence of eating disorders.