David Lynch’s cause of death confirmed as cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Following the announcement of his passing on 16 January, David Lynch’s cause of death has been confirmed as cardiac arrest.
David Lynch’s cause of death has been confirmed as cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The visionary ‘Twin Peaks’ filmmaker visionary died aged 78 after becoming housebound with emphysema following years of chain-smoking, and a death certificate released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has now confirmed COPD was an underlying condition suffered by the auteur.
David’s death certificate, obtained on Friday (07.02.25) by TMZ, also notes dehydration as a significant contributing factor to his passing.
The director, whose other hit films include ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’, revealed last year he was suffering from emphysema after decades of smoking.
In November, he admitted he could no longer walk without the aid of supplemental oxygen, saying at the time: “Smoking had been an integral part of my life since I started at just eight years old.”
A family member also told TMZ David died on 15 January at his daughter’s house, where he had been staying after being forced to evacuate his Los Angeles home due to the city’s devastating wildfires.
His death was announced on social media by his family the following day.
Also according to his death certificate, Lynch was cremated, and his remains were buried on 22 January at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Deadline reported the filmmaker’s health deteriorated rapidly after he was displaced from his home on Sunset Boulevard due to the L.A. wildfires, though details of the evacuation remain private.
The air quality during the fires may have exacerbated David’s condition, as emphysema – also referred to as COPD – damages the air sacs in the lungs and can be worsened by environmental factors such as pollution, workplace irritants and smoking.
David’s disease causes breathing difficulties, frequent chest infections, coughing and wheezing.
In his final public statements, he confirmed he required oxygen for basic activities, saying walking had become “strenuous”.
He also explained that due to concerns about Covid further compromising his health, he had decided to stop directing on set and would instead work remotely for any future projects.
