Matthew Perry's cause of death has been confirmed, his passing ruled an accident from the acute effects of ketamine.
The late Friends star's cause of death was noted by the Los Angeles medical examiner today, the autopsy finding he had high levels of anaesthetic ketamine in his system.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the report that Perry also drowned in his jacuzzi, but that it was a secondary factor in his death. Perry passed away on October 28, 2023. The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.
Watch: An interview with Matthew Perry prior to his passing. Post continues below.
Perry had taken ketamine infusion therapy - to treat depression and anxiety - over a week before he died, per the toxicology report.
However, officials determined the drugs in his system at his time of death "could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine's half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less", as per E! Online.
Ketamine therapy uses low doses of the dissociative anaesthetic medication to manage various mental health conditions, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the hit US sitcom Friends, was declared dead after being found unresponsive at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.
First responders rushed to the home on a call for cardiac arrest. He was found in a jacuzzi at the home, and no drugs were found at the scene. There was no foul play involved.
According to TMZ, the actor had been out for around two hours playing pickleball in the morning before arriving home and sending his assistant on an errand. When the assistant returned two hours later, he found Perry unresponsive and called emergency services.
Throughout his life, Perry was open about his battle with substance abuse and addiction and also set up a sober living facility for men with similar issues. Following his death, a foundation was set up in his name to help those struggling with addiction.
This week, his co-star Jennifer Aniston spoke about Perry during an interview with Variety. The actress, who sat alongside her Morning Wars co-star Reese Witherspoon, teared up as she addressed the death of her friend.
The Friends actor was also asked how she hopes people remember Perry.
"As he said he'd love to be remembered. He was happy. He was healthy," Aniston replied.
"He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy - that's all I know. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly."
Feature Image: Getty.
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