Ketamine caused 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' star Matthew Perry's death, reveals autopsy report
The cause of death of F.R.I.E.N.D.S star Matthew Perry, who passed away in October, has been disclosed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office. Perry reportedly died from "the acute effects of ketamine," with contributing factors being drowning, coronary artery disease, and the influence of buprenorphine. The F.R.I.E.N.D.S alum was found unresponsive in his hot tub on October 28, with no signs of fatal injury or foul play. He was 54.
Perry's ketamine infusion therapy for depression, anxiety
The 29-page autopsy report mentioned Perry had a history of diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/emphysema, and past drug use but had been clean for 19 months. He was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, with his last session taking place one and a half weeks before his death. However, the ketamine levels in his system could not have come from that therapy due to ketamine's half-life being three to four hours or less, USA Today reported.
High levels of ketamine and contributing factors
The medical examiner reportedly detected high levels of ketamine (3,540 nanograms per milliliter) in Perry's system, which can have fatal effects of "cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression." Drowning and coronary artery disease also contributed to his death. Moreover, buprenorphine, though present at therapeutic levels, was listed as a contributing factor due to its "additive respiratory effects" when combined with high levels of ketamine.
Understanding what ketamine exactly is
Ketamine is used both as a depression treatment and a recreational drug. In 2006, researchers at the United States (US)'s National Institutes of Health found an intravenous ketamine dose relieves severe depression within hours, compared to other anti-depressants' weeks-long onset. In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a ketamine nasal spray as an adjunct for major depressive disorder. Circumstances surrounding Perry's additional ketamine intake before his death remain unclear, leaving several questions about its timing and administration.
Was Perry sober at time of his death?
Perry was candid about his struggle with addiction, which he chronicled in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. At the time of his death, no alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, PCP, or fentanyl were detected in his system. Jennifer Aniston, Perry's F.R.I.E.N.D.S co-star, told Variety that he was "happy, healthy, and not struggling" before his death. Perry reportedly invested $7-9M on his journey to sobriety and undergone rehab 15 times.
