Matthew Perry's Official Cause Of Death Revealed

The following article includes discussion of drug addiction.

On October 28, the entertainment industry lost one of its most beloved television stars. Matthew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on "Friends," was found dead at the age of 54. He was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home, where he was declared dead at the scene from an apparent drowning. TMZ has now reported on the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office's findings on the contributing factors to his death.

The toxicology report states Perry died from "the acute effects of ketamine." Ketamine is a substance often used for pain management as well as the treatment of certain mental health issues. TMZ reports that Perry had been receiving ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety; however, it's unclear how frequently he received such treatments in the months leading up to his death. His last ketamine infusion therapy reportedly occurred a week and a half prior to his passing. Therefore, it was determined the ketamine in his system "could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine's half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less."

The medical examiner stated how the ketamine in the actor's system resulted in "both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression."

Additional factors in the actor's death reportedly include "drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects." Buprenorphine is a prescription medicine given to individuals being treated for opioid addiction. While they were not contributing factors to his death, the report also indicates Matthew Perry had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as diabetes.

Perry was open about his struggles with addiction throughout his life. The medical examiner determined the actor was sober from alcohol for 19 months before he died. And it was previously reported that Matthew Perry did not have fentanyl or meth in his system at his time of death. In 2022, while promoting his memoir, Perry talked about how he wanted to use his experience with addiction as an avenue to help others going through similar struggles. 

Perry told People in an interview how much he valued his sobriety, "Everything starts with sobriety. Because if you don't have sobriety, you're going to lose everything that you put in front of it, so my sobriety is right up there." In the time since his death, there's been an outpouring of support from fans toward Perry's loved ones. His "Friends" co-stars released a statement shortly after his passing honoring their friend. 

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).