Matthew Perry's cause of death listed as 'acute effects of ketamine'
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Matthew Perry revealed in his memoir that he underwent ketamine infusion therapy prior to his death.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner released an autopsy report stating that Perry died of "acute effects of ketamine."
The beloved actor confessed his experience with the deadly drug in his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," and how he used ketamine daily.
MATTHEW PERRY'S CAUSE OF DEATH LISTED AS 'ACUTE EFFECTS OF KETAMINE'
Matthew Perry was found dead in a hot tub in his Pacific Palisades home on Saturday. He was 54. (David M. Benett)
The "Friends" star admitted he was "doing ketamine infusions every day."
"Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and it's used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression," he penned. "Has my name written all over it—they might as well have called it 'Matty.'"
Although ketamine "felt like a giant exhale" to Perry, he said it felt like he was "dying."
"Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this s*** because it was something different, and anything different is good," he added.
Matthew Perry’s final post to his Instagram appears to be taken in a swimming pool. (Matthew Perry on Instagram)
"Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel. Ketamine was not for me."
MATTHEW PERRY CAUSE OF DEATH ‘DEFERRED’: CORONER
Perry died Oct. 28 after an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. He was 54.
"There were trace amounts of ketamine detected in the stomach contents," the autopsy listed. "The exact method of intake in Mr. Perry's case is unknown."
WHAT IS KETAMINE, THE DRUG THAT KILLED MATTHEW PERRY ON OCTOBER 28?
Perry reportedly received "ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety."
His last known treatment was more than one week prior to death, but the medical examiner determined "the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less."
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The "Friends" star admitted he was "doing ketamine infusions every day." (Getty Images)
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug with "established medical and surgical uses," the autopsy detailed.
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No foul play was suspected, and no illegal drugs were reportedly found at the scene. Perry was laid to rest Nov. 3 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an Entertainment Writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
