Matthew Perry's Cause Of Death In Question - Police Rule Out Fentanyl And Meth

Content warning: Addiction

New toxicology reports from Matthew Perry's autopsy indicate a lack of drugs in the late actor's system, following his tragic death at age 54 on October 28, 2023.

Evidently, law enforcement officers told TMZ that Perry did not have either fentanyl or meth in his system at the time of death. Perry was discovered when emergency services were called to his Los Angeles home for a cardiac event while Perry was in his hot tub. No illegal drugs were found at the scene.

The actor — known for his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends" as well as films like "Fools Rush In" and "The Whole Nine Yards" — was an outspoken advocate for sobriety and addiction recovery, and wrote extensively about his addiction issues in his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." He opened the book by describing previous health scares, including the time that his colon burst due to complications from drug use. 

"I am no saint — none of us are — but once you have been at death's door and you don't die, you would think you would be bathed in relief and gratitude," Perry said in the memoir, detailing the complications he experienced after heavy drug and alcohol use. "But that isn't it at all — instead, you look at the difficult road ahead of you to get better and you are pissed. Something else happens, too. You are plagued by this nagging question: Why have I been spared?"

Unfortunately, Matthew Perry's passing likely could have been a result of damage to his heart after years of substance use. WSLS Roanoke spoke to cardiologist Dr. Bradley Allen, who revealed that even people as young as Perry could be susceptible to cardiac events like heart attacks.

"We do see people in their 40s and 50s fairly commonly having heart attacks," Dr. Allen told the news station. "Unfortunately the initial presentation for a lot of folks is sudden cardiac death – which if that is the case for Matthew Perry, he's unfortunately part of that statistic."

Another contributing factor could possibly be Perry's use of his hot tub, particularly since he was alone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hot water can exacerbate pre-existing heart conditions. As described to the clinic by cardiologist Dr. Curtis Rimmerman, "Hot tubs and saunas are potentially dangerous for patients with known or suspected heart disease." Due to the fact that a person's temperature rises and blood pressure drops when one uses a hot tub, it can cause cardiac events if a person is already suffering from heart damage. Importantly, if Perry did experience a cardiac emergency, it likely would've been the result of his past struggles with addiction and would not indicate any recent substance use, particularly considering how well his friends and family have reported him doing in the past few years: "Friends" creator Marta Kauffman even lamented how unfair Perry's death feels, stating, "He was happy and chipper. He didn't seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair."

Throughout his too-short life, Matthew Perry was a tireless advocate for anyone suffering from addiction, and he even turned a home in Malibu into a sober living house for a two-year period. Perry worked with the National Association of Drug Court Professionals as a spokesman, and in 2013, President Barack Obama's administration gave him a Champion of Recovery Award from the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says: 'I can't stop drinking. Can you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it," Perry said on the podcast Q with Tom Power in 2022. 

Hank Azaria of "The Simpsons" spoke about Perry on Instagram after the actor's passing, saying that Perry was instrumental in Azaria's own sobriety journey: per Azaria, Perry was the one who first convinced him to come to AA, and went to meetings for him for the next year. "As a sober person," Azaria said, "he was so caring and giving and wise, and he totally helped me get sober."

The fact that people are speaking out about Perry's work fighting addiction is a testament to the man's incredible legacy. On the aforementioned Q with Tom Power podcast, he described this as his greatest hope. "I've said this for a long time: When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned," Perry said. "I want [helping people] to be the first thing that's mentioned. And I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).