This was stated in a report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, as reported by CNN. The high level of ketamine found in his postmortem blood samples suggests that his death could have been due to either an overstimulation of the cardiovascular system or respiratory depression, the report says.
The report also notes that Perry had been undergoing ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety. His last treatment was a week and a half before his death, significantly longer than the drug should have remained in his system. Other contributing causes of the actor's death were ischemic heart disease and the effects of buprenorphine, used for treating opioid-related disorders.
The 54-year-old actor's body was discovered on October 28 in the pool of his Los Angeles home. Perry had long struggled with addiction to painkillers and alcohol, undergoing treatment in rehabilitation clinics multiple times. He discussed these issues in his biography, published in 2022.
