Matthew Perry cause of death: What is ketamine? Friends actor died 'accidentally' as a result of the drug, corona rules

Matthew Perry's tragic death on October 28 was the result of the "acute effects of ketamine", a Los Angeles medical examiner has ruled. The actor who was best known for playing Chandler Bing on American sitcom Friends was found unresponsive in his pool and died aged 54.

His death has been ruled an 'accident' and it has been reported that Perry was reportedly receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety before his death. The effects of taking the ketamine - a method of which remains unclear in Perry's instance - contributed to the actor's death, along with factors cited as "drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine" - an opioid used to treat opioid use disorder.

While the postmortem exam has answered some questions around the actor's death, others may be wondering more about ketamine, its uses, and its effects. Here's what you need to know.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine was first developed in the 1960s as a human and animal anaesthetic. Today, it's used both as a new treatment for severe depression and as also as a psychedelic party drug.

A study by the National Institutes of Health in 2006 revealed that the drug could relieve severe depression in a matter of hours. That's in contrast to other remedies for depression, like Prozac and Zoloft, which can take weeks.

In the US back in 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved nasal spray Spravato, the first antidepressant based on ketamine. Matthew Perry was said to be using ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. He'd had the most recent infusion provided a week and a half before his death, his autopsy report revealed.

But the ketamine used for that therapy was unlikely the cause of Perry's death because the half-life of the drug in the system is around three to four hours or less, the report said. It's unclear still how or when Perry received more ketamine in the hours before he died.

Some scientists also believe ketamine could be used to treat psychiatric problems like substance use disorders and PTSD.

Is ketamine also used recreationally?

Ketamine also has a history of being used at parties and clubs as it can make users feel like they are having an "out of body" experience and short-term hallucinations. Overdosing on the drug can result in a variety of symptoms including amnesia, or seizures, according to the American Addiction Centers. It can also cause someone to fall unconscious and or experience dangerously slowed breathing. But ketamine rarely causes an overdose if it's the only drug a person takes. Fatalities are more likely when ketamine is mixed with alcohol.