The death of Matthew Perry shocked fans, friends, and loved ones around the country. The actor had struggled with addiction in the past but was recently sober and leading a healthy lifestyle. He loved playing pickleball, a mix of tennis and table tennis, twice daily and worked on a book about his experiences. The 54-year-old also cared for his health and reportedly had no significant medical conditions. However, according to new autopsy reports, he died because of the acute effects of Ketamine.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner released the results of his autopsy Friday. The autopsy report states that the cause of death was the “acute effects of ketamine.” It also mentions the death was an accident and that drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine were contributing factors in his death.
During his lifetime, Perry battled many personal issues, including depression, substance abuse, and alcoholism. He detailed his struggles in a 2022 memoir and claimed to have been sober for 19 months before his death. He credited his sobriety with helping him find more peace and happiness in his life. Perry was a well-known advocate for mental wellness and founded the Matthew Perry Foundation to help those battling addiction.
As per the autopsy report, the sedative Ketamine is generally used in the experimental treatment of anxiety and depression. The drug is also a popular recreational drug that is widely used among young people. The autopsy found that the Ketamine in Perry’s system caused cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. The combination of these two effects made him lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub.
However, the level of Ketamine in his body at the time of his death was too high to have been from his last ketamine infusion therapy session,n which happened a week and a half before his death. It is not clear how the actor got hold of a large amount of the drug after he had stopped receiving the infusions for the same reason.
The report also noted that the sedative was in his stomach contents but did not detect any evidence of alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin. A female associate who spoke to the Los Angeles coroner told police that Perry was irritable and angry in the weeks before his death but that he was happy overall and had a great life.
According to a report from the LAPD, first responders arrived at Perry’s home on Oct. 28 and found the actor unresponsive in his hot tub. The report also states that an assistant lifted his head above water to try and get air, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The LAPD is still investigating the incident to determine what exactly happened that led to the actor’s death. The full autopsy report can be read here, but be warned that some details may disturb sensitive viewers. It contains diagrams of the body, the results of the toxicology tests, and his stomach contents and weight.
