TV star Matthew Perry has died at age 54. The actor was confirmed dead on October 28, 2023. Perry was found unresponsive by authorities at 4 pm at his home in Los Angeles from an apparent drowning in the heated side of his pool.
There was a recent autopsy done on his body which revealed he died from the effects of ketamine. After speaking to his friends and family it was found that Matthew Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, an experimental treatment used to treat depression and anxiety.
Blood tests were done after his death which showed high levels of ketamine in his body, and could have possibly raised his heart rate and blood pressure causing him to struggle breathing. The amount of ketamine in his system is usually used for general anesthesia during surgery. Perry’s last treatment 1 1/2 weeks earlier wasn’t able to explain to the doctors why his ketamine levels were so high. “Using sedative drugs in a pool or hot tub, especially when you’re alone, is extremely risky and, sadly, here it’s fatal,” says Stolbach.
Perry was known to have a history of addiction and using drugs but has claimed to be clean for 19 months. Perry’s assistant told authorities he had been playing pickleball that morning but hadn’t shown signs of being ill or any signs of drug or alcohol use.
Buprenorphine was also found in Perry’s blood. Buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid developed in the late 1960s and is used to treat pain and opioid use disorder. Doctors say that Buprenorphine definitly could have been a contributing factor to his breathing problem.
Matthew Perry is most famous for playing Chandler Bing in the show Friends and for writing his book Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. Matthew Perry’s death was unexpected and devastated many around the world.
Featured Image Credit: The New York Times