Staff Reports
The tragic death of beloved actor Matthew Perry, caused by a large ketamine overdose, should serve as a wake-up call for all of us to closely examine the drug and its potential dangers. According to the autopsy report, Perry’s death was a result of acute heart issues and possibly respiratory arrest, both caused by the excessive use of ketamine. It is concerning to note that Perry had been regularly receiving intravenous injections of ketamine to manage his depression and anxiety, but had not received a dose in over a week. This raises questions about the safety and effectiveness of such treatment methods.
Matthew Perry’s ketamine overdose should be a lesson in expanded use of the dangerous drug https://t.co/HmHVHA1ZoA pic.twitter.com/wN0jBfiOPL
— NY Post Opinion (@NYPostOpinion) December 18, 2023
Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist, agrees with the autopsy conclusion and highlights that the presence of ketamine in Perry’s stomach suggests that he may have taken it orally, further highlighting the risks associated with self-medication. Perry’s history of addiction to Vicodin, which ultimately led to a burst colon, underscores the dangers of substituting one drug for another. His addiction to drugs was accompanied by severe depression and alcohol use disorder, painting a grim picture of the struggles he faced.
We have seen this pattern before with other drugs like heroin and fentanyl, which were initially developed with good intentions but ended up being even more potent and dangerous than the substances they were meant to replace. Ketamine, originally used as an anesthetic for horses, soon found its way into the hands of humans as a popular street drug. While it has been approved by the FDA in the form of an inhaled drug called esketamine for severe depression, its rapid expansion for off-label use in treating depression and pain has not been sanctioned.
The overuse and over-prescription of ketamine through telemedicine and online prescribing has contributed to its alarming rise in recent years. EPIC Research has reported a 500 percent increase in ketamine prescriptions since 2017, with a significant portion attributed to depression and anxiety. While ketamine may have shown promise in treating severe depression, its use for milder forms of depression and anxiety, as well as pain management, is concerning and lacks thorough scientific study.
It is imperative that further research be conducted to fully understand the risks and benefits of ketamine in various contexts. Matthew Perry’s untimely death should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with unregulated and uninformed use of potent drugs. Let us honor his memory by learning from this tragic incident and taking necessary precautions to prevent similar deaths in the future.
