(NewsNation) — Los Angeles County released Matthew Perry’s autopsy Friday, with the “Friends” actor’s cause of death determined to be a result of the acute effects of ketamine, Senior Deputy Medical Examiner Raffi Djabourian said.
The autopsy details trace amounts of ketamine were detected in Perry’s stomach. He was reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety.
“Per the Medical Examiner Investigator’s report, his last known treatment was one and a half weeks prior to death, and the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is three to four hours, or less,” Djabourian said.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with medical and surgical uses. It’s also known for recreational drug use due to its “dissociative” nature.
According to the report, toxicology testing revealed ketamine levels at 3540 ng/ml and 3271 ng/ml in Perry’s blood. For context, the medical examiner’s office said in a surgical setting, levels for general anesthesia are typically in the 1000-6000 ng/ml ranges.
The report determined Perry’s official cause of death to be from “the acute effects of ketamine” with contributing factors including drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects. Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid use disorder.
The manner of Perry’s death is described as “accident (drug and drowning related.)”
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Drowning contributes,” the report said, in part.
Perry, 54, was found dead in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades residence Oct. 28. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the actor was found unconscious in a hot tub by a bystander who had gotten Perry’s head above water while waiting for medical personnel to arrive. Once at the home, firefighters quickly pulled Perry from the water, but a rapid medical assessment revealed he died before first responders got there.
A deputy medical examiner completed Perry’s autopsy the following day.
Perry had been open about his struggles with addiction in the past, but his autopsy report says he was “reportedly clean for 19 months.”
Former “Friends” castmates of Perry spoke out about his death in October. At the time, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer told NewsNation: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Less than a week after Perry’s death, a foundation was established in his honor to help those dealing with addiction.
“In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences, and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” said an inaugural statement establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation.
Read the full autopsy report below:
