Wow, this is truly unexpected news…
For weeks now we’ve been following the news of Matthew Perry‘s death. So far as we knew the Friends star was clean and sober, everyone agreed. His death seemed to be from a heart attack, followed by drowning since he happened to be in a hot tub. But on his death certificate the cause was deferred. All that was waiting was the toxicology report. Well, we have that now…
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released the report on Friday, and they are blaming “the acute effects of ketamine” for his death. Ketamine is an anesthetic often used recreationally, sometimes by the name Special K. It’s also prescribed in smaller doses as a treatment for depression. This was something Perry had been doing, prescribed ketamine infusion therapy. Per TMZ he had been undergoing the therapy every other day for a while — up until about six months ago. At that time a new doctor decided he didn’t need it as often. His last infusion, per the report, was a week and a half before his death.
Related: Friends Fans Make Horrible Realization While Mourning Matthew Perry’s Death
That’s where things get tricky. It said “acute effects.” Not cumulative effects of taking it for months. And the report specifically notes the amount of ketamine in the comedy icon’s body at the time of his death “could not be from that infusion therapy” the previous week “since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.” That means he had taken ketamine THAT DAY. And apparently not under the supervision of a doctor?
Does that mean he was using it recreationally? Self-medicating? Or did someone missed something, and he did get an infusion that day?? The report did note “prescription medications and loose pills” were found at the scene.
Either way, per the M.E. the ketamine was definitely the killer, as it caused “cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.” That plus coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine — a drug used to ween addicts off opioids — and you have a recipe for a cardiac event. Add in the drowning, and you have Perry’s death.
The report also notes, while these factors didn’t necessarily contribute to his death, that Perry still smoked cigarettes — 2 packs a day — despite having COPD and emphysema. He also had diabetes.
We’d heard he was trying to quit smoking and starting to take better care of himself, playing a lot of pickleball. But he never got a chance to turn things around — and it sounds like the ketamine is to blame. Damn.
[Image via MEGA/WENN.]
