Matthew Perry’s cause of death was determined Friday, and an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE revealed that the loved Friends the star died due to the acute effects of ketamine. Drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine were also cited as contributing factors to his death.
According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s autopsy report, Friends alum was “reportedly clean for 19 months” before her death, which was ruled an accident.
The actor practiced ketamine infusion therapy, with his last treatment occurring just “a week and a half before” his death, the report said. However, the coroner noted that “the ketamine in his body at the time of death could not have been from that infusion therapy, since the half-life of ketamine is 3 to 4 hours or less.”
Buprenorphine is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).
Ketamine is “a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects,” according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. It “distorts the perception of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and out of control” and “can induce a state of sedation (a feeling of calmness and relaxation), immobility, pain relief and amnesia.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ketamine in the 1970s as a short-acting anesthetic. And in 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved a nasal spray called esketamine, which is derived from ketamine, as a treatment for depression.
However, the drug is also taken illegally to get high, as it can put people in a relaxed or detached state.
Over the years, many stars have been open about using ketamine for specific addiction treatment in the past — including Lamar Odom, who said he saw it as a “healthy drug” to help with his substance abuse problems. Sharon Osbourne spoke about continuing ketamine treatment after developing anxiety in 2021.
More recently, Teenage mom star Tyler Baltierra told PEOPLE that he began ketamine therapy to unlock repressed memories and help him move past childhood trauma, and Dynasty star Catherine Oxenberg also spoke with PEOPLE about her experience using ketamine therapy to overcome the trauma of rescuing her daughter India from the NXIVM cult.
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Ketamine. Teresa Crawford/AP/Shutterstock ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ Star Tyler Baltierra Opens Up About Ketamine Therapy: ‘It’s a Pretty Intense Ride’
Ketamine therapy is a treatment that uses low doses of the drug to manage a variety of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The American Psychiatric Association does not provide specific guidelines for the use of ketamine. But a 2019 study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital found that anxiety patients experienced a reduction in symptoms just 40 minutes after taking a low dose of ketamine.
Ketamine can come in a variety of forms, including nasal spray, IV therapy, injections, and lozenges. Side effects of the drug include nausea, dizziness, headache, dissociation, dizziness, drowsiness, psychosis and others.
Ketamine therapy clinics have popped up across the US in the past year. In most clinics, patients begin with a screening and, if they qualify, receive an injection of ketamine and are guided through a guided meditation. After that, they meet with a therapist. Treatments range from $400 to $800 per session on average and are not covered by insurance.
Although ketamine has gained popularity, it is only safe if prescribed by a doctor for a specific purpose.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education