World Wrestling Entertainment posted the following on WWE.com today:
WWE has been working diligently to complete its new wellness program for talent, which includes an aggressive drug and steroid testing program and heightened cardiovascular monitoring. The company believes it has identified a third-party that will be able to implement the program, which will be done independently of WWE, and is going through final phases of its due diligence. WWE believes the program will be ready to implement before the end of the first quarter of 2006.
The company originally announced their drug and heart monitoring policy in the wake of Eddie Guerrero’s death and Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore’s suspension following an apparent soma overdose. Dinsmore’s contract is reportedly up around the same time as his suspension/rehab is scheduled to end.
According to the 12/21/05 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the official cause of Guerrero’s death was a heart attack due to arteriosclerotic heart disease (hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which supply the heart with blood and oxygen) caused by a long history of anabolic steroid use and recent usage of narcotics medication. This information comes from the death certificate released by the Hennepin County (Minneapolis) Medical Examiner’s Office. The quantities and nature of drugs found in his system reported in the toxicology reports, and the “significant list of” (WON) prescription medication found in his hotel room by the police department, has not been released.
Due to the narrowing and hardening of the arteries combined with an enlarged and damaged heart plus organomegaly (large internal organs that Dave Meltzer says is likely due to use of human growth hormone), an imbalance was created, since a larger heart needs more blood, and narrow arteries cause less to actually get to the heart.
It was not confirmed how much larger than “normal” Guerrero’s organs were for his body type, and chronic pain due to back problems and daily wear and tear also caused stress on his heart.
Needless to say, a focus on monitoring the heart with stress tests and other regular check-ups by cardiologists will be part of this “wellness plan,” and according to the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter, WWE is in talks with the same agency that Major League Baseball uses for testing.
We’ll have more on this as it develops.
Credit: WWE.com, Wrestling Observer Newsletter (click here for subscription information), Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter (click here for subscription information)
