Actor Matthew Perry’s cause of death has been determined to be the “acute effects of ketamine,” according to an autopsy report released Friday by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Perry, best known for playing the beloved character Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends” for 10 seasons, was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home pool on October 28th and was pronounced dead at age 54. His death has been ruled an accident by the Medical Examiner.
The actor had been receiving regular ketamine infusion therapy to treat his anxiety and depression, Variety reported. His toxicology results showed ketamine was the primary cause of death, with drowning, heart disease, and the effects of an opioid addiction medication named as contributing factors.
Perry had been candid over the years about his struggles with addiction, even detailing in a 2022 memoir how a 1997 jet ski accident first led him to alcohol and painkiller dependence. More recently, he founded a sober living facility to help others facing similar battles.
His “Friends” co-star, Jennifer Aniston, gave an emotional statement following his shocking death, saying he had seemed happy, healthy, and committed to sobriety in their last communications.
The sudden passing of the beloved comedy icon at 54 years old has left his former castmates reeling. A foundation supporting addiction recovery efforts was started in Perry’s honor after the news of his tragic death.
