24-07-2025
‘Friends' star Matthew Perry's doctor admits giving ketamine to him without any medical reason: How this drug abuse impacts the body
The doctor who gave ketamine to 'Friends' star Matthew Perry, leading to his overdose-induced death in 2023, has pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles court. Dr Salvador Plasencia admitted that he illegally gave the powerful drug to Perry without a proper medical reason. Ketamine is normally used as an anaesthetic and as a component in certain antidepressants, but in this case, it was supplied for non-medical, recreational use.
According to reports, Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression every other day for a certain period of time but had reduced that intake later. Since he had diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the drug overdose might have complicated airflow blockage and breathing problems.
'It is a Schedule X drug in India, which means it is tightly controlled and even monitored on a case-specific basis by the prescribing doctor. As a therapeutic intervention, it is safe. The risk is only with unauthorised use,' says Dr Shaunak Ajinkya, psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai.
WHAT IS KETAMINE?
Derived from a hallucinogenic drug Phencyclidine (PCP), it halts transmission of pain in the spinal cord and activates reward pathways of the brain. Hence ketamine began to be used in pain management and anaesthesia. It was found as a promising new treatment for severe depression because of its euphoric quality and began to be prescribed to pull patients out of their troughs.
WHY IS IT PRONE TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE?
In low doses, ketamine alters perception and coordination, inducing euphoria. As doses increase, the person may get completely disconnected from reality and even experience an 'out of body' experience. Loss of consciousness can also occur at high doses. Since it dissolves in water easily, it is difficult to keep tabs on the amount used.
HOW DOES OVERDOSE HAPPEN?
Ketamine can become toxic when it is mixed with alcohol, as both substances impact respiration, cardiovascular functioning and the nervous system. It can make you unstable enough and susceptible to falls, drowning, vehicular accidents and hypothermia.
HOW KETAMINE OVERDOSE IMPACTS YOUR BODY
Certain medical conditions can exacerbate the risk of ketamine toxicity. Somebody with a pre-existing heart disease or hypertension can face intracranial pressure that pushes up the risk of stroke. There is diminished blood flow to heart muscles. Since ketamine is a relaxant, too much of it can complicate breathing, which becomes shallow. It is toxic for the urinary bladder and liver. Unregulated high doses can lead to drug dependence and schizophrenia.
HOW DO YOU TREAT OVERDOSE?
There is no drug yet to counter its effects. So there has to be supportive care. The patient may have to be put on a monitor and intubated to relieve respiratory distress.
