'General Hospital' Star Tyler Christopher's Cause Of Death Revealed

Confirmation reports have surfaced on the cause of the tragic passing of "General Hospital" actor Tyler Christopher.

The 50-year-old's body was discovered last October in his San Diego apartment by one of his co-stars on the iconic medical show.

The San Diego Medical Examiner disclosed that Christopher died of positional asphyxia or suffocation due to "acute alcohol intoxication."

The actor also suffered from coronary artery atherosclerosis, a disease caused by plaque storage in the artery wall that supplies blood to the heart. 

The actor was found unresponsive in his bedroom on October 31 by a friend who instantly alerted emergency services. His agent also released a statement confirming his death to the news agency and said:

"​I can confirm that Tyler Christopher has passed away this morning. This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss. He was a very gifted actor and, more importantly, an amazing friend. My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much."

The actor was also honored with a tribute from producer Frank Valentini via "General Hospital's" official Instagram account. Valentini described Christopher as a "kind and incredible actor and a dear friend" who was dearly loved by the soap opera's cast and fans of his character on the show.

Maurice Benard, who starred alongside him on the show, also expressed his devastation over the actor's passing. After hailing the 50-year-old for his talent and love for "bringing joy to his loyal fans," Benard added:

"Tyler was a sweet soul and a wonderful friend to all of those who knew him. Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol." 

Christopher played the role of Nikolas Cassadine on the show, which ran from 1996 to 2015, and then appeared as Stefan DiMera on "Days of Our Lives" from 2018 to 2019 per FoxNews.

Christopher was an accomplished actor who won a Daytime Emmy award for his role on "Days of Our Lives." However, beyond the flashing lights on set, the actor had a substance use disorder that plagued his personal life in many ways.

The Blast shared that months before his passing, the actor was arrested at the Hollywood Burbank Airport in southern California, as he was found passed out and drunk near the American Airlines terminal by authorities.

He was also taken into custody in 2019 after he fell asleep in an Uber and urinated on himself. His run-ins with the law caused him to be placed under the guardianship of his sister, Susan Asmo Baker.

The actor also underwent craniotomy surgery after he suffered a fractured skull when he hit his head in his bathroom after falling from the effects of alcohol withdrawal. It was during his recovery in 2021 that his sister filed for the guardianship role.

However, the actor accused his sister of extorting him in a Bloomberg interview three months before his death. He added that during his guardianship, Baker diverted a reimbursement for $40,000 to her account to offset her own credit card debt, fund her move, and purchase a MacBook for her son.

Nevertheless, Baker debunked the allegations, stating that Christopher would have died long ago if he was not under her guardianship.

Aside from his drama with his sister, the actor also had a rocky history with romantic relationships. He married actress Eva Longoria in 2002 and divorced in 2004. He then gave marriage another shot with ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo.

They parted ways in 2021 after welcoming two children, Greysun James Christopher and Boheme Christopher. After his arrest last May, Longoria expressed her concern about his health and safety, claiming that Christopher was no longer the man she was once married to.

Sources close to the actress stated she was willing to provide "Tyler any help he needs, including paying for a trip to rehab." She was also reportedly concerned that the actor could not look after himself, as the source added that having support meant a lot to the actor then.