The tragic death of beloved “Friends” actor Matthew Perry at 54 has been attributed to the “acute effects of ketamine,” as stated in the autopsy report by the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
The announcement comes with questions, adding to the somber chapter to the actor’s life, marked by his struggle with mental health issues and substance abuse.
The autopsy report also noted other contributing factors to Perry’s death, including “coronary artery disease, buprenorphrine effects.”
During a routine search, “prescription medications and loose pills” were discovered at Perry’s residence. However, the autopsy explicitly stated that “Alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, PCP, fentanyl were all not detected (negative).”
Perry’s death on October 28 followed what appeared to be a drowning incident in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. The report further disclosed that “There were trace amounts of ketamine detected in the stomach contents.”
Perry had been undergoing “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety.” His last treatment was over a week prior to his passing.
However, the medical examiner clarified, “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,” leaving questions as to how Perry ingested the drug.
RELATED: Jennifer Aniston Shares Heartbreaking Clip from ‘Friends’, Breaks Silence on Matthew Perry’s Death
Ketamine, known for its “established medical and surgical uses,” was originally employed as a veterinary anesthetic. Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City and a forensic pathologist, explained the history of Ketamine initially in veterinary medicine.
“It’s very powerful and was used for horses undergoing surgery. That was the first use… It had a bad side effect and caused hallucinations.” Baden told Fox News Digital.
Baden also described the drug’s transition from veterinary to human use due to its hallucinogenic properties, stating, “It became a drug of abuse back in the 60s and 70s… It was not very popular, but it was not a narcotic drug.”
Baden expressed his astonishment at the discovery of ketamine in Perry’s autopsy, stating, “He has been in rehab a number of times for a number of different drugs. This wasn’t one of them that I am aware of… He was very outspoken because he was trying to alert people to the hazards of drugs, and this wasn’t one of the drugs that he was abusing.”
Initially, the Department of Medical Examiner listed Perry’s cause of death as “deferred,” citing “other significant conditions.” They removed his case from their website a day after his death but later confirmed that “An autopsy was completed today, and toxicology results are pending,” as a DME representative informed Fox News Digital.
No suspicions of foul play emerged, and Perry was respectfully laid to rest on November 3 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
The final moments of Perry’s life were described by first responder Capt. Erik Scott: “A bystander had brought the man’s head above the water and gotten him to the edge, then firefighters removed him from the water.” Scott added that upon their arrival, Perry was already “deceased prior to first responder arrival.”
Perry’s death, particularly with the involvement of ketamine, remains a mystery. It was certainly a tragedy as by all reports Perry had been sober and a staunch advocate for sobriety and mental health treatment.