Matthew Perry’s cause of death has just been determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office. According to TMZ, the toxicology report identified Perry’s death was partly caused by “the acute effects of ketamine.” Perry was reportedly taking ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety in the week-and-a-half leading up to his death. Ketamine is a drug that’s used both recreationally and, as mentioned, to treat depression. Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy every other day for an unknown period of time up until six months before his death when a physician decided he no longer needed regular treatment.
The medical examiner determined the ketamine in Perry’s system at the time of his death “could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is three to four hours, or less.” Based on the levels of ketamine in the Friends star’s system, he experienced both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Other contributing factors listed in Perry’s death were drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects, a substance used to treat opioid addiction.
The medical examiner added there was no evidence of alcohol and methamphetamine cocaine, heroin PCP or fentanyl in Perry’s system. He’d allegedly been clean and sober for 19 months. The report also states that the 54-year-old smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, had COPD/emphysema and diabetes.
Perry died on October 28 at his home in the Pacific Palisades. He’d just accepted a new movie role and moved into a new home three weeks before his death. Sources close to the actor claimed he’d never been “happier.”