Matthew Perry, author and actor of famous and beloved show ‘Friends’ who died at the age 54 was found unresponsive floating face down in the heated end of the pool on 28th of Oct 2023.
First responders were called for a cardiac arrest, according to TMZ which first reported on the news. But finally, the actual reason of Matthew Perry’s death is revealed. News reports say that the ‘Friends’ star died because of the overdose of a drug that is used in anaesthesia and in certain antidepressants.
Matthew Perry is best known for his role as the witty, sarcastic Chandler Bing on “Friends” in the 1990s and early 2000s. Over the course of ten seasons, he appeared in over 200 episodes of the NBC sitcom.
Matthew Perry’s cause of death:-
According to the news reports, Perry was undergoing ‘Ketamine infusion therapy’ for depression the other day for a period of time but he had reduced that intake more recently and his known infusion was a week-and-a-half before his death.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner quoted in reports that Ketamine overdose caused “cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.”
Also, Matthew Perry had diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the drug might have complicated airflow which caused blockage and breathing problems.
What is ‘Ketamine’:
It was created in the laboratory of American chemist Calvin L. Stevens in 1962, and it was utilised in surgeries conducted during the Vietnam War as well as in the late 1960s as an anaesthetic for both humans and animals. It is derived from the hallucinogenic drug phencyclidine (PCP) and functions by increasing the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain and spinal cord and blocking the NMDA receptor in these regions. In layman’s words, this stops the spinal cord from transmitting pain and opens up the brain’s reward pathways. Ketamine was subsequently employed in the treatment of pain. Subsequently, in the past ten or so years, its euphoric properties have made it a promising new treatment for severe depression, and it has been prescribed to help patients emerge from their troughs.
How effective ‘Ketamine’ is in depression:
When compared to other treatments, researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered in 2006 that an intravenous dose of ketamine could relieve severe depression in a matter of hours. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised the first ketamine-based antidepressant and a nasal spray in 2019.
Impact of ‘Ketamine’ in human body:-
It can make breathing more difficult as it works as a relaxant and causes the lung to collapse along with the breathing. The heart has to work harder as a result. Blood pressure and heart rate are accelerated, but if your arteries are damaged, they cannot keep up with the stress, which can cause a sudden cardiac arrest. It is hazardous to the liver and urinary bladder. Elevated doses taken out of control can result in drug dependency and schizophrenia. When ketamine and alcohol are combined, which is most likely what happened to Perry, fatalities are more common.
Matthew Perry’s castmates on his death:-
“We are all completely devastated by Matthew’s death. We were more than just coworkers. We are a unit. There is so much to say, but for the time being, we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” Perry’s “Friends” castmates Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer said in a statement following his death.
“We will say more as we are able in the future.” For the time being, our thoughts and prayers are with Matty’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
