Dr. Nandra Statement on Matthew Perry’s Death
Matthew Perry's autopsy results released today indicate that he died from the "acute effects of ketamine". The results also showed that coronary artery disease, and an opioid drug called buprenorphine that was also detected in significant levels, both contributed to his death. The combination of the above likely caused a state of prolonged deep unconsciousness, heart issues, and respiratory depression that ultimately lead to his drowning in his hot tub.
Buprenorphine is an opioid that is used to treat addiction and pain.
Also of note is that he was undergoing IV ketamine infusions at a clinic to battle his mental illness and addiction. However, his last such treatment was 1.5 weeks prior to his death, and ketamine is rapidly metabolized in the body completely in 3-4 days or less, so his treatments were not the reason he had such high levels of ketamine in his blood. He also had ketamine that was found in his stomach at the autopsy, indicating that he had ingested a large amount orally in the hours before his death.
The ketamine concentration found in his blood was almost 20 times higher than the level attained during the IV ketamine infusions for depression that we use in my clinic.
A state of General Anesthesia i.e. for major surgery, is achieved easily at the level they found in his blood. This high of a ketamine level can place a lot of strain on the heart and blood vessels, which in combination with the opioid and his coronary heart disease likely led to his demise or to a deep state of unconsciousness that led him to drown.
Oral and nasal recreational use can often lead to toxicity because of unknown purity and actual dosing. However, we know that ketamine is a very safe drug when used in a monitored setting by a medical professional or anesthesiologist, and the outcomes for depression are astounding.
Regards, Dr. Nandra