Cause of Death Revealed for ‘Days of Our Lives’ Star Patrick Muldoon After Sudden Passing

The cause of death for actor and producer Patrick Muldoon, best known for his starring roles on “Days of Our Lives” and “Melrose Place,” has been revealed nearly two weeks since his sudden passing at the age of 57.

Muldoon died from myocardial infarction, otherwise known as a heart attack, on April 19 at his home in Beverly Hills, California, according to his death certificate obtained by People.

The certificate noted that underlying health conditions, including a pulmonary embolism and hereditary coagulopathy, contributed to his death.

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a sudden clot prevents blood flow to arteries in the lungs. The life-threatening condition typically starts from a vein in the leg, or in some cases other parts of the body, and travels to the lung.

Inherited coagulopathy is a genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to coagulate, or form blood clots. According to the National Institutes of Health, it often “manifests via easy bruising, epistaxis, or prolonged bleeding.”

News broke of Muldoon’s passing on April 20, after his manager made the confirmation to Variety. His death certificate indicates that he was cremated on April 28.

Born in 1968, the Los Angeles native entered the entertainment industry as a model for Calvin Klein in the early 1990s before transitioning to acting.

He appeared on episodes of “Who’s the Boss,” “Saved by the Bell,” and “Silk Stalkings” before his breakout role as Austin Reed on “Days of Our Lives.”

He starred on the soap opera from 1992–1995 and later reprised the role from 2011 to 2012. Muldoon also had a recurring role on “Melrose Place” as the villainous Richard Hart for three seasons from 1995 to 1996.

Tributes from former colleagues, friends and actors alike quickly began pouring in following his death. Those included costar Alison Sweeney, who portrayed Samantha “Sami” Brady on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives,” and actress Lisa Rinna, who played Muldoon’s sister, Billie Reed, on the series and Taylor McBride on “Melrose Place.”

Muldoon’s other credits include his 1997 role as Zander Barkalow in the sci-fi cult classic “Starship Troopers” as well as producer on “Marlowe,” “The Card Counter,” and “Riff Raff.”

On April 17, Muldoon shared what would be his final Instagram post, expressing his excitement for an upcoming project dubbed “Kockroach,” which had begun filming, directed by Matt Ross and starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton, Zazzie Beetz, and Alec Baldwin.

Posthumously, he is set to appear in other films including the crime thriller “Dirty Hands,” set to be released this month, and “Stay at Home,” which is listed as in post-production.

Muldoon is survived by his longtime girlfriend Miriam Rothbart, parents William Patrick Sr. and Deanna Muldoon, sister and brother-in-law Shana and Ahmet Zappa, and his niece and nephew.