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Matthew Perry‘s official cause of death was made public today after over a month of uncertainty. The sitcom star was 54 years old when he was found unresponsive in his hot tub on October 28. Shortly before the weekend, a coroner released the official report confirming Matthew’s cause of death.
Perry, best known for playing funnyman Chandler Bing on sitcom Friends, died from “acute effects of ketamine.” The report also stated that “drowning, coronary artery disease,”plus the “effects of an opioid” also added to the causes of the actor’s passing.
Matthew Perry Died With Ketamine In His System
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office today stated the Perry’s main cause of death was the “acute effects of ketamine.”
The drug, used widely in modern medicine, is prescribed to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and is also used recreationally. Ketamine is further prescribed for pain conditions that do not respond to conventional treatments. The report claims Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, however stated that his most recent infusion could not have caused his death as it was administered over a week before he died.
It Wasn’t His Prescribed Ketamine
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the report states.
Perry was very open about his past substance abuse and mental health issues, something he documented in his memoir. While some fans suspected foul play upon hearing of his death, local law enforcement arriving at his Pacific Palisades home last month confirmed that no illegal substances were on the premises. They also did not suspect foul play.
“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy – that’s all I know,” former costar Jennifer Aniston told Variety. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”
Aniston, 54, added: “I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”