What was Matthew Perry's cause of death?

The Los Angeles County medical examiner has said Friendsstar Matthew Perry died of the "acute effects of ketamine."

Perry was found "unresponsive in the pool at his residence" on 28 October and pronounced dead at the age of 54. The medical examiner ruled on Friday that the manner of death was an accident.

Reports from Varietysay the actor, best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends, was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety before his death.

Contributing factors to Perry's death, according to a postmortem examination, included "drowning, coronary artery disease and the effect of buprenorphine" - an opioid used to treat opioid use disorder.

'Friends' star Matthew Perry died on 28 October at the age of 54 Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

In his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry discussed his experience with alcoholism as a teenager as well as how he developed an addiction to pain medication following a 1997 jet skiing accident.

His addictions impacted his life massively, with Perry writing they put him in a coma at one point. The actor had set up a sober living facility for men with similar issues.

Speaking to Variety, his friend and co-star Jennifer Aniston said Perry was doing well before his death.

"He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy - that's all I know. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn't struggling. He was happy."

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