California-based Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who supplied 20 vials of ketamine to Matthew Perry, the Friends (1994–2004) star, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Perry, 54, was discovered dead in his luxurious Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. The actor had a history of depression and substance use but was reportedly on the path to recovery. His final on-screen appearance was playing himself in the 2021 feature-length special, *Friends: The Reunion*.

Perry accidentally drowned due to the acute effects of a ketamine overdose. Five individuals faced charges in the case, all of whom eventually pleaded guilty. Dr. Plasencia is the first person to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death. In addition to his 30-month prison term, he was ordered to pay a fine of $5,600. But what exactly is ketamine, and how can an overdose affect the body?

Doctor Who Supplied Matthew Perry Ketamine Pleads Guilty

Perry was found dead in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at age 54. The LA County Medical Examiner determined that his death resulted from the “acute effects of ketamine,” with contributing factors including drowning and coronary artery disease. In July 2025, Dr. Plasencia pleaded guilty to felony charges for distributing ketamine to four individuals. He also confirmed that Perry had received multiple doses of the drug prior to his death. Perry’s death in Los Angeles, California, was officially attributed to the “acute effects of ketamine,” which caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub. He had struggled with substance abuse for years and had been receiving ketamine treatment for anxiety and depression at an accredited clinic, according to the BBC.

What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a medication used by doctors as an anesthetic to induce temporary loss of consciousness. Under the Controlled Substances Act, it is classified as a Schedule III non-narcotic substance. The FDA has approved ketamine for use only as a general anesthetic. However, in some cases, doctors prescribe it “off-label” for conditions such as depression. “Off-label” refers to using a drug for a condition that the FDA has not specifically approved.

How Does Ketamine Overdose Harm Your Body?

Certain medical conditions can make ketamine overdose riskier. People with heart disease or high blood pressure may experience increased intracranial pressure, raising the chance of stroke. Blood flow to the heart can be reduced. As a relaxant, excessive ketamine can interfere with breathing, causing it to become shallow. High doses can also be toxic to the liver and urinary bladder. Unregulated or repeated use may lead to dependence and increase the risk of developing schizophrenia.

Side Effects Of Ketamine

At prescribed doses, common side effects of ketamine, according to Medical News Today, include:

• Drowsiness
• Double vision
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• A general feeling of unease

Ketamine can also cause a wide range of other symptoms affecting different parts of the body, though these are less frequent.

Ketamine As A Drug Of Abuse

Ketamine can produce sensations of detachment from the environment, pain relief, and hallucinations, which has led to its misuse. Recreational users often describe feelings of being separated from their body or a floating sensation. Some report near-total sensory detachment, which they compare to a near-death experience.

The drug is particularly popular among teens and young adults in club settings. Many users prefer ketamine trips to PCP or LSD because the hallucinations are shorter—lasting 30 minutes to an hour—rather than several hours.

Always consult a healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

As December rolls in, familiar melodies float through malls, train stations and sometimes right outside your front door. Carol groups wrapped in tinsel bring a warm sense of nostalgia. Their voices rise in unison, cheerful and bright, filling cold evenings with a comfort that feels almost instinctive. What most people do not realize is that this seasonal tradition may be giving the singers themselves a genuine health lift.

Researchers have been exploring this for years, and their findings suggest that singing is far more than a joyful holiday hobby. It strengthens social bonds, supports emotional wellbeing and even offers physical benefits that reach deep into the brain and lungs.

Why Singing Feels So Good

Alex Street, a researcher at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, describes singing as a cognitive, physical, emotional and social act, as reported by BBC. When people sing, especially in groups, the brain lights up in ways few other activities can replicate. Regions responsible for language, movement and emotion get activated at the same time. The steady breathing that singing requires also prompts the release of endorphins, which brings on feelings of pleasure and reduces pain.

Psychologists have long noted how even strangers can develop a sense of togetherness after singing side by side for just an hour. This may explain why community choirs often feel like extended families.

A Simple Workout with Surprising Benefits

Beyond the emotional high, singing demands more from the body than many expect. Studies have shown that it can improve heart rate, circulation and blood pressure. The controlled breathing and longer exhalations strengthen the lungs in ways similar to moderate physical activity. Some researchers even compare a singing session with a brisk walk.

BBC reports that Adam Lewis, an associate professor of respiratory physiotherapy at the University of Southampton, notes that singing encourages people to use their respiratory muscles more efficiently. This is one reason why it has become a useful complementary tool for people living with chronic lung conditions.

Healing Through Harmony

One of the most profound uses of singing is in therapy for people recovering from brain injuries or neurological illnesses. Music therapists often rely on songs from childhood to help patients regain speech or movement. The story of former US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is one of the most well known examples, reports BBC. After surviving a severe brain injury, she regained her speech partly through singing familiar melodies during therapy sessions.

Similar approaches have been used with stroke survivors, patients with Parkinson’s disease and people living with dementia. Singing provides repeated vocal practice, encourages focus, and stimulates both sides of the brain. Experts also believe that it may help slow cognitive decline in older adults, although long term studies are still needed.

A Gentle Way Back to Community

For many people living with chronic illness, joining a choir brings something even more meaningful than physical gains. It offers a space where patients, caregivers and professionals participate as equals. Street describes these shared moments as a rare kind of unity that dissolves labels and replaces them with a sense of belonging.

As researchers learn more about the power of song, the message becomes clearer. Singing is not just entertainment. It is a tool for connection, a low cost therapy and a way to strengthen both mind and body. So this festive season, joining a group around the Christmas tree might be more beneficial than you think.

Delhi's Air Quality Index today recorded 'severe' in several location. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from 40 monitoring stations from across the city showed AQI above 401 at 7.05 am on Wednesday morning. City's average AQI stood at 376.

While it has only been three days into December, the AQI levels have undergone severe changes. On November 30, Delhi's AQI was recorded at 279, on December 1, it was recorded at 304, while on December 2, the AQI went up to 372.

Amid all this, Dr Ritu Singh, Director Professor and HOD, Department of Biochemistry at Lady Hardinge Medical College posted on her Instagram, what she calls the 'only steps to save your lungs in Delhi".

What Does the Doctor Say?

"If you’re living in Delhi right now, the first line of protection is simple: avoid breathing unfiltered air. If you can’t leave the city, wear an N95 mask every time you step outside or move away from a HEPA-filtered space," says Dr Ritu Singh.

The doctor points out that keeping a high quality HEPA filter at home and at your workplace is essential. She points out that though it may be expensive, but one should know that their "lungs are not replaceable". She says, "Yes, spend all your hard earned money on HEPA filters because the lung is not replaceable."

What Is HEPA Filter? How Does It Help?

As per the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), HEPA or also known as the high efficiency particulate air is a type of filter that can theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm). The diameter specification of 0.3 microns corresponds to the worst case; the most penetrating particle size (MPPS). Particles that are larger or smaller are trapped with even higher efficiency. Using the worst case particle size results in the worst case efficiency rating (i.e. 99.97% or better for all particle sizes).

What Else Can Be Done To Stay Safe From Air Pollution?

Dr Singh suggests that indoor plants could be added, though it could only offer a "small but meaningful improvement in air quality".

One famous NASA experiment, published in 1989, found that indoor plants can scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde and benzene.

These plants are:

• Spider Plant
• Snake Plant
• Peace Lilly
• Aloe Vera
• Boston Fern
• English Ivy
• Rubber Plant
• Golden Photos
• Bamboo Palm
• Dracaena

The doctor also recommends that one should increase their intakes of antioxidant foods. "Increase your antioxidant intake—turmeric, amla, oranges—these won’t fix pollution, but they help your body cope with oxidative stress.”

Antioxidants strengthen the immune system by fighting oxidative stress, which is caused by unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). The body's normal processes, like breathing and metabolism, create free radicals (ROS). Antioxidants donate electrons to these unstable molecules, which neutralizes them and stops them from damaging healthy cells.

"Right now, the goal is extremely clear: prevent inhalation of polluted air. Delhi’s current levels are dangerous for the lungs, the heart, and the entire respiratory system," the doctor says.

India is only second in the world to have people with chronic kidney diseases in 2023, said The Lancet study. In 2023, China recorded 152 million patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), while India was at 138 million.

The study, led by researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, along with collaborators in the U.S. and the U.K., found that CKD was the ninth-leading cause of death worldwide, claiming nearly 15 lakh lives in 2023.

Regionally, the highest prevalence was reported in North Africa and the Middle East (18% each), followed by South Asia (nearly 16%), and more than 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

In fact, senior director and HOD Nephrology at Medanta Kidney and Urology Institute, Dr Shyam Bansal says, "Chronic kidney disease is one of the fastest-growing chronic illnesses in India, mainly because diabetes and hypertension are becoming more common. Diabetes now affects about 10% of the population and hypertension nearly 25%, and together they remain the leading causes of kidney disease."

The report also highlighted CKD’s strong link to heart disease. It contributed to almost 12% of global cardiovascular deaths in 2023 and ranked as the seventh-leading cause of heart-related mortality, ahead of diabetes and obesity.

The researchers outlined 14 key risk factors for CKD, with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity contributing the most to the loss of healthy life. Dietary habits—such as low intake of fruits and vegetables and high sodium consumption, also played a significant role in raising CKD risk.

“Chronic kidney disease is both a major risk factor for other leading causes of health loss and a significant disease burden in its own right. Yet, it continues to receive far less policy attention than other non-communicable diseases, even as its impact grows fastest in regions already facing the greatest health inequities,” said senior author Theo Vos, professor emeritus at IHME.

The findings draw on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study, which tracked trends in diseases, injuries, and health risk factors across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023.

Importance of Early Detection Of Chronic Kidney Disease

Importantly, the authors noted that most people with CKD in 2023 were in the early stages, highlighting the urgent need for strong screening programmes and strategies to reduce risk before the disease advances.

This is why its early diagnosis is utmost important. Dr Bansal on the need for early detection says, "“The biggest challenge is identifying people at risk as early as possible. Early diagnosis and timely control of risk factors are essential if we want to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease."

Early detection could also reduce heart-related deaths due to kidney disease and delay one's requirement for replacement therapies, which is usually sought in advanced stages of the disease.

Dr Bansal also points out that early detection could help one live a better life and also in many ways reduce the burden on the Indian healthcare system, and save cost. "We are dealing with a large population at risk, and kidney disease is complex and costly to treat. While infrastructure and specialist availability are improving, managing this growing burden remains a significant challenge," he says.