What are the side effects of Diltiazem? Pills near Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa's body identified by the police

The investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, has rendered new results.

According to E! News, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza revealed that the pills found next to Arakawa's body have been identified as Diltiazem, Tylenol, and an unknown thyroid medication.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home in New Mexico on February 26, alongside one of their dogs. Arakawa, 65, was discovered mummified on the bathroom floor next to a space heater. An open bottle of pills was “scattered on the counter-top,” as mentioned in an affidavit for the search warrant obtained by NBC News the following day.

According to NHS, Diltiazem is used to treat high blood pressure and certain heart conditions. However, it has a range of side effects, though not everyone experiences them. Per the official page, these common side effects take effect in more than 1 in 100 people, and they are typically mild and do not last long.

These may include headaches, swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, weakness, general discomfort, flushing, skin redness, itching or burning at the application site, stomach pain, indigestion, and constipation.

---

The deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa explored

According to the Daily Mail, while Diltiazem is rarely used in suicide cases, doctors say it can be lethal. Dr Jack Rubinstein, a cardiologist and internal medicine professor at the University of Cincinnati, told Daily Mail:

"If somebody wanted to hurt themselves by overdosing themselves or others with diltiazem, it is definitely one hundred percent lethal."

However, the lethal dose depends on several factors, including the person’s weight, age, and overall health. That said, the outlet also reported that it seems unlikely that Gene Hackman’s or Arakawa’s deaths were caused by suicide or that either of them had ingested any of the drugs found.

As reported by E! News, earlier that day, Mendoza emphasized the pills as “something of concern" in the ongoing investigation.

“That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene,” he told Savannah Guthrie during an interview on Today. “That information was collected, that information was passed to the office of the medical investigator to help them make a determination. So we’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence.”

He also noted that a full toxicology report “could take up to three months or even possibly longer” to yield results but revealed that his team is “hoping it comes sooner than later.”

---

Officials have already ruled out carbon monoxide as a cause of death for Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, though police say they could revisit the speculation if “there's something else that comes back in the toxicology report.”