'Friends' star Matthew Perry passed away due to the acute effects of ketamine, as revealed by the toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office. The report indicated that contributing factors to Perry's death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the impact of buprenorphine, a medication used in the treatment of opioid use disorder, as reported by Variety.
Prior to his untimely death, Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, aimed at addressing depression and anxiety. The toxicology report highlighted that the elevated levels of ketamine in his postmortem blood specimens could lead to lethal effects from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Ketamine, known for its numbing and hallucinogenic effects, is often illegally used as a recreational drug.
Trace amounts of ketamine were discovered in Perry's stomach contents, despite his reported engagement in ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. According to the Medical Examiner Investigator's report, his last known treatment occurred 1.5 weeks before his death, making it improbable that the ketamine in his system at the time of death resulted from that specific infusion therapy. The report added that ketamine's short half-life of 3 to 4 hours or less further supported this conclusion. Perry, celebrated for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the iconic TV sitcom 'Friends,' was found unconscious in his home's hot tub on October 28.
