Matthew Perry's Death Linked to Ketamine Overdose

Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends," died from the acute effects of ketamine, a drug used to treat depression. The Los Angeles County medical examiner stated that the ketamine caused cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Other contributing factors to Perry's death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy but had reduced his intake recently. The level of ketamine found in his blood was equivalent to that used during general anesthesia. The medical examiner noted that Perry had no other drugs in his system and had been sober for 19 months. Ketamine is a legal medication used as an anesthetic and has been increasingly used off-label to treat depression.