Unfortunately, Matthew Perry’s passing likely could have been a result of damage to his heart after years of substance use. WSLS Roanoke spoke to cardiologist Dr. Bradley Allen, who revealed that even people as young as Perry could be susceptible to cardiac events like heart attacks.
“We do see people in their 40s and 50s fairly commonly having heart attacks,” Dr. Allen told the news station. “Unfortunately the initial presentation for a lot of folks is sudden cardiac death – which if that is the case for Matthew Perry, he’s unfortunately part of that statistic.”
Another contributing factor could possibly be Perry’s use of his hot tub, particularly since he was alone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hot water can exacerbate pre-existing heart conditions. As described to the clinic by cardiologist Dr. Curtis Rimmerman, “Hot tubs and saunas are potentially dangerous for patients with known or suspected heart disease.” Due to the fact that a person’s temperature rises and blood pressure drops when one uses a hot tub, it can cause cardiac events if a person is already suffering from heart damage. Importantly, if Perry did experience a cardiac emergency, it likely would’ve been the result of his past struggles with addiction and would not indicate any recent substance use, particularly considering how well his friends and family have reported him doing in the past few years: “Friends” creator Marta Kauffman even lamented how unfair Perry’s death feels, stating, “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
