The cause of Friends star Matthew Perry’s death has been revealed to be an accident caused by the effects of ketamine.
Perry was discovered unresponsive in the pool of his Los Angeles home on October 28 and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Drowning was also a contributing factor in his death, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
In a statement, the LA County medical examiner also revealed that coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine – a drug used in the treatment of opioid use disorder – contributed to the star’s death.
The Press Association reported that senior deputy medical examiner Raffi Djabourian wrote: “At the high levels of ketamine found in his post-mortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.
“Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness; coronary artery disease contributes due to exacerbation of ketamine induced myocardial effects on the heart.”
Perry, who was aged 54 when he died, shot to fame in the 1990s as Chandler Bing in Friends, which became one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. He appeared in numerous films and TV shows following the end of Friends. However, Perry had well-documented addiction issues for large parts of his adult life.
He was laid to rest in a cemetery in LA following a private funeral in November.
