'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' actor Nicholas Brendon's cause of death confirmed

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Indiana officials have disclosed the official cause of death for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Nicholas Brendon, who died in March.The Putnam County Coroner confirmed in a report shared with The Times on Tuesday that the actor, best known for portraying the loyal and wisecracking Xander Harris, died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Acute pneumonia and a previous myocardial infarction — a heart attack — were listed as contributing factors in his death.Brendon died March 20, his family announced in a statement on his social media pages.

The family said he died of natural causes, which was also confirmed by the coroner’s report.The report also noted that Brendon had “90% blockage” in his right coronary artery.

He was 54.“He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” his family said on Instagram in March.

“Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.” California Nicholas Brendon, best known for portraying the loyal, wisecracking Xander Harris in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” died Friday from natural causes after dealing with a congenital heart defect and other health issues in recent years.He was 54.Prior to his death, Brendon experienced multiple health issues.

He was hospitalized in 2022 after he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and after suffering a cardiac incident.The “Criminal Minds” star also underwent multiple spinal surgeries to manage cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition in which nerve bundle in the lumbar or sacral spine are compressed or not functioning properly.

His serious spinal injury was triggered by a fall in 2021 that required emergency surgery to prevent paralysis, his manager Theresa Fortier said in a statement at the time.The coroner’s report described the scene of Brendon’s death, noting that because of the acto...