Matthew Perry’s death: What is ketamine and how can it be used for depression?

Matthew Perry’s death has been ruled an accident from the “acute effects of ketamine,” officials in Los Angeles have confirmed.

A summary of the post-mortem examination from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner said the actor, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in US sitcom Friends, was receiving “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety”.

Perry, who had been found “unresponsive in the pool at his residence” on October 28 at the age of 54, had his last-known ketamine treatment a week and a half before he died.

It concluded that Perry died from the “acute effects of ketamine” while contributing factors included “drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine” – which is described as an “opioid-like drug used in the treatment of opioid addiction as well as acute and chronic pain”.

The medical examiner ruled that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy”, but was not able to specify the “exact method of intake” in Perry’s case.

The report also said Perry had been “reportedly clean for 19 months” from drug use.

Here the PA news agency takes a closer look at ketamine and how it can be used to treat depression:

What is ketamine?

According to the UK national anti-drug advisory service Frank, ketamine is a general anaesthetic that reduces sensations in the body which can make users feel dream-like and detached, chilled, relaxed and happy, but also confused and nauseated.

It can be used for both humans and animals.

The Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust website says ketamine is a licensed anaesthetic drug that can also be used as an “off-label” treatment for depression, because it has not been licensed for use as an antidepressant in the UK.

It says that its brief rapid antidepressant effect has been confirmed in many several clinical trials over the last 20 years.

A closely related version, nasal esketamine, is licensed but has not been approved for routine NHS use, mainly because of cost.

What is ketamine therapy and why is it used?

The Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust says ketamine therapy can be given to people who have depression which has not responded to other treatments.

The health trust provides a self-pay ketamine treatment service after suitability is agreed following a referral letter from a GP or psychiatrist.

Patients are then given a series of intravenous ketamine infusions, with the average duration of initial benefit 10 days, according to the trust’s website.

Oral ketamine, supplied as a liquid which can be taken at home, can help maintain the benefit of infusions

As with conventional antidepressants, regular treatment over several years is often needed, the trust says.

Is ketamine illegal in the UK?

Ketamine is a class B drug, which means it is illegal to have without a prescription and anyone selling or using it faces a fine or prison sentence.

Anti-drug advisory service Frank said it is also known as ket, special K, super K or vitamin K.