Matthew Perry's Cause of Death Determined to be 'Acute Effects of Ketamine'
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Matthew Perry’s cause of death has been determined to be the “acute effects” of ketamine, according to a toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The report, which was released on Friday, revealed drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, were contributing factors in Perry’s accidental death.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used to induce and maintain general anesthesia. It is also used as a treatment for depression and as a recreational psychedelic drug. The autopsy report stated Perry was reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, however the ketamine found in his system could not have been from his last session, which occurred about a week and a half before his death. The method of intake is unknown.
Perry was found unresponsive floating face down in a heated pool at his L.A. home and pronounced dead on October 28. He was 54 years old.
Perry was forthcoming about his struggles with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing, released on November 1, 2022. He shared on the Q with Tom Power podcast in November 2022 that he hoped to be remembered for more than just his adored sitcom character.
“The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, 'I can't stop drinking. Can you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it,” Perry said. “And I've said this for a long time: when I die, I don't want Friends to be the first thing that's mentioned—I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned. And I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that.”
Perry’s legacy lives on in the Matthew Perry Foundation, a charity devoted to helping individuals struggling with addiction.
The philanthropist and advocate was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on November 3 with his loved ones—including Friends costars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer—in attendance.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” said his costars of 10 years in a statement following his death. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
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