Matthew Perry, 54 years old and a forever friend around the world thanks to the series 'Friends', was playing pickleball on October 28. His assistant later found him lifeless in the jacuzzi of his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
This is what is stated in the county coroner's report, which highlights that drowning is only a secondary factor in his death, according to the autopsy. The actor, who had had well-known problems with alcoholism and drug abuse for decades, died from “the acute effects of ketamine,” an anesthetic with psychedelic properties that has been widely used in hospitals and clinics.
His death is classified as accidental. In addition to drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed to the fatal outcome. There were no traces of alcohol, methamphetamine or cocaine in his body.
“Due to the high levels of ketamine found in his post-mortem blood samples, the main lethal effect would be both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory failure,” the autopsy indicates. “Perry had been prescribed to take ketamine infusions in his therapy for depression and anxiety,” the official document highlights.
Aside from its use as a powerful anesthetic, ketamine has been used recreationally at drug parties since it causes "out of body" hallucinations. However, it has increasingly gained popularity as an alternative therapy for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the treatment of other mental problems.
The autopsy indicates that Perry had entered into one of those ketamine infusion therapies. Her last session occurred a week or a week and a half before her death. In three or four hours it dilutes the amount of it in the body by 50%, the report highlights.
This means that the ketamine in your system may have come from another uncontrolled session. Based on the analysis, the actor's blood contained the equivalent of the amount that would be used for general anesthesia.
The US Federal Food and Drug Agency (FDA) issued an alert in October to warn of the risk of treating psychiatric disorders with compound versions of that substance.
Perry's caregiver testified that Perry took buprenorphine twice a day as prescribed by a psychiatrist. Investigators also found traces of sedatives. In the analyzes they have not discovered traces of the substances that plunged him into alcoholism and drug dependence. According to this report, he had been “clean” for 19 months.
His assistant assured during the investigation that Perry had not been ill, had not complained about his health or shown any signs of returning to his old habits.
Perry became his character. He was better known as Chandler Bing, one of the protagonists of 'Friends'. His role as a statistics analyst is characterized by his sarcasm and one-liners. In the present because although the series lasted ten seasons, between 1994 and 2004, dominating the first time, in the United States it has not stopped being programmed. In fact, since Perry's death it has had a spectacular increase in audience.
He had a prolonged struggle with alcohol and drug use, with multiple relapses and periods of rehabilitation. In his 2021 memoir, “Friends, lovers and the big terrible thing,” he recounts the harsh reality of additions. He is a stark contrast to the jovial guy who brings so much joy to his admirers. Two opposite worlds.
In that volume he explains that he began abusing substances at the age of 14 and entered 'Friends' a decade later, the show that changed his life and put him in the spotlight of fame. But this only increased his dependence on alcohol and drugs. According to his own confession, in one day he swallowed almost five dozen pills.
Together with his co-stars they earned a million dollars per episode. Perry developed other projects and participated in numerous films. In none of them did she enjoy the success of 'Friends'. In fact, none of her colleagues have reached that peak in her later work.
