Massachusetts doctor Scott Hadland, specializing in addiction, has shed light on the autopsy report of Matthew Perry, emphasizing the role of ketamine in the actor’s tragic death. The report, obtained by The Blast, attributed Perry’s demise to the “acute effects of the drug Ketamine.” Perry had reportedly been undergoing Ketamine therapy for anxiety and depression, but the last supervised treatment occurred over a week before his passing.
Dr. Hadland discussed these findings, suggesting that since Perry’s last known treatment was over a week before his death, the actor likely consumed ketamine at home, indicating a relapse and recreational abuse of the drug. Ketamine therapy typically involves administration in a healthcare facility, closely monitored, often in a hospital setting.
“The medical examiner’s report tells us [ketamine therapy treatments] probably wasn’t related to his death, [and that what] probably caused his death is that he took ketamine at home separately,” explained Dr. Hadland.
While Perry’s primary doctor, Dr. Andre Atoian, asserted in a 2020 interview that there is no addiction associated with ketamine use, Dr. Hadland highlighted that ketamine is a medication prone to misuse and recreational use. The conflicting perspectives come as Perry’s ex-girlfriend, Kayti Edwards, calls for an investigation into the doctors treating Perry, suggesting the actor may have obtained ketamine from a medical professional.
Dr. Hadland noted Perry’s history of heart disease, revealed in the autopsy report, emphasizing that high doses of ketamine can affect the heart. Overstimulation of the heart, he explained, could lead to loss of consciousness, potentially resulting in drowning—a tragic outcome for Perry.
The autopsy report highlighted Perry’s medical history, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and a past history of drug use. Despite reportedly being clean for 19 months, Perry’s recent history of ketamine therapy and heavy tobacco use were documented. Ketamine, known as a secluded anesthetic and psychedelic drug, is often employed in Ketamine therapy, a mental health treatment embraced by many celebrities for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD.