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Matthew Perry’s cause of death has been determined.
On Friday, we learned that the veteran actor — best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends — passed away last month due t o “the acute effects of ketamine,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Perry’s death was ruled an accident, noted as drug and drowning related.
As you likely know by now, Perry was found dead in his hot tub on October 28… his body discovered under water by a housekeeper a couple hours after the actor returned home from playing pickle ball.
Based on this new report, we can confirm that drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) were also listed as contributing factors in his passing.
Ketamine, meanwhile, is a “dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects,” per the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
It “distorts the perception of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control,” and “can induce a state of sedation (feeling calm and relaxed), immobility, relief from pain, and amnesia.”
Because “high levels” of ketamine were found in Perry’s blood, “the main lethal effects” would be from cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression (breathing too slowly or shallowly), the toxicology report states.
Perry’s death certificate previously stated that no illicit drugs were found in the star’s system.
The Emmy-nominated Friends star had a long and candid history of substance abuse, but had been sober for about 19 months at the time this tragedy occurred.
The autopsy says that Perry was on ketamine infusion therapy, with his latest treatment taking place just “one and a half weeks before” his death.
However, the coroner noted that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”
Following Perry’s sudden death, his long-time costars were among those to speak out on the shocking loss, including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, who honored the late actor in a touching tribute.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the Friends cast said on a joint statement on October 30.
“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
Since this time, each individual actor or actress has released a moving statement of his or her own.
As noted above, Perry was admirably vocal about his struggle with addiction.
In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he recounted his journey to sobriety … along with the pride of staying clean.
“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again,” he told People Magazine at the time for a 2022 cover story.
“I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober—and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction—to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did.”
Matthew Perry was 54 years old.
May he rest in peace.
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