“I'm not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”

This is what ‘Friends’ actor Matthew Perry’s character Chandler Bing was known for. He was known for being funny. However, he had his own struggles in his personal life and those struggles were acute depression. He was treating it with ketamine infusion therapy which is legal in the US and the UK.

What is Ketamine infusion therapy?

Ketamine is an anaesthetic used to treat depression, anxiety and pain under supervised and controlled medical settings. However, it does have its side effects, which can lead to distortion of sight, sound and time. It can also produce calming and relaxing effects.

Ketamine increases a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. If overdosed, it can leave users confused and agitated and can cause them to hurt themselves without even realising it. It can also lead to liver damage and bladder problems.

However, when used in moderation and under the supervision of medical doctors, it can treat depression where traditional antidepressants have failed.

Prof Rupert McShane, a University of Oxford psychiatrist who runs an NHS ketamine treatment clinic told BBC that ketamine “probably turns off the area of the brain that is involved in disappointment.”

Can Ketamine Infusion Therapy Kill Someone?

In simple terms, it cannot, be if the dosage is given in a controlled setting and as prescribed. Ketamine infusion therapy uses drugs in small doses than those used for anaesthesia. It acts faster than traditional anti-depressants, but the effects also wear off way quickly. Which is why it is important to monitor patients’ mental state for relapsing back into depression and discouraging them from overdosing on it.

There are ways of giving people ketamine. One of the ways is through “infusing”, which means to use an IV drip. However, injections, nasal sprays and capsules are also methods used to give people ketamine.

Since the dosage of ketamine used in the infusion treatment is small, it being the reason of actor Perry’s death was ruled out. The medical examiner also noted that Perry’s last ketamine infusion therapy session happened more than a week before his death, which means by the time he had died, it must have worn off.

So, What Happened To Perry?

Though Perry’s last session was more than a week before, his post-mortem showed that his blood contained a high concentration of ketamine. He had died of the “acute effects” of ketamine.

If it was not his session, then how did he get ketamine?

Prosecutors alleged that his assistant gave him at least 27 shots of ketamine in four days before his death, reported BBC.

Perry has been open about his personal struggles and this is what the doctors and dealers used against him. Martin Estrada, the US attorney for California’s Central District told the BBC that people took advantage of his condition. They charged him 165 times more than what vials of ketamine cost.

Names that have come up include Dr Salvador Plasencia, drug dealers “Ketamine Queen” aka Jasveen Sangha and Eric Fleming, and Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.

Who Are These Names And What Did They Do?

Ketamine Queen or Sangha supplied drugs that led to Perry’s death. Her home was a “drug-selling emporium,” said Estrada. More than 80 vials of ketamine, and thousands of pills including methamphetamine, cocaine and Xanax were allegedly found in her house known as the “Sangha Stash House.”

Sangha is known to deal with high-end celebs and was a “major source of supply for ketamine to others as well as Perry,” said Estrada.

Dr Plasencia called Perry a “moron” while charging him $2,000 for vials that cost only $12. He sold Perry 20 vials of ketamine between September and October 2023, costing $55,000.

He was the one who taught Iwamasa, who had no medical knowledge to inject the drug. This is after he knew that “Perry’s ketamine addiction was spiralling out of control,” as per what the investigators told the BBC.

Another dealer Fleming was told by Sangha to “delete all our messages.” While Fleming pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute drugs unlawfully, he also allegedly messaged Sangha: “Please call...Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Perry] only his assistant. So the assistant was the enabler.”

The court documents also revealed that he asked Sangha on whether the ketamine stays in your system or “is it immediately flushed out.”

Dr Pepper, Bots, Cans

The people who allegedly exploited Perry used coded language for ketamine and called it “Dr Pepper”, “bots”, or “cans.”

Selling overpriced drugs, taking advantage of Perry’s mental condition and falsifying medical records to make the drugs given to him look legitimate by Dr Plasencia is what took Perry’s life.

Iwamasa is said to have administered more than 20 shots of ketamine and three on the day Perry died. Whereas ketamine is only administered by a physician. Authorities also found that weeks before Perry’s death, Dr Plasencia allegedly bought 10 vials of ketamine and intended to sell to Perry.

He also injected Perry with a large dose, two days later. This caused him to “freeze up” and spiked his blood pressure.

When I Die, I Want Helping Others To Be The First Thing That’s Mentioned

Perry had always been open about his drug addictions, struggles with alcohol and his depression. He said that his openness would help others who are also struggling and wanted to be remembered by his quote which also is on the homepage of the Mattew Perry Foundation that helps others struggling with the disease of addiction: “When I die, I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned.”

Five arrests have been made in the case so far.

Wondering when you are most at risk of having a heart attack?

Dr Srihari Naidu, a triple board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology and cardiology professor at New York Medical College says that the winter season is when we're most susceptible to attacks.

He told HealthandMe: "Major cardiovascular studies have shown a link between cold exposure, including the drop in temperature during the winter months, and risk of heart attack. While it’s hard to pin point the exact reason, it is clear that cold exposure does make the heart work harder."

Heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death in the country. Four Indians experience a heart attack every minute, with one in four dying of the cause.

Experts have also noticed a rising trend of nearly 50 percent of heart attack patients being under the age of 40, with half of all heart attacks in Indian men occurring under 50.

Why Are Your More Likely To Have Attack In Winters?

According to Dr Naidu, falling temperatures can cause arteries to narrow, reduce oxygen flow and force the heart to work harder. This can lead to the thickening of blood and with time, cause a heart attack.

"For one thing, cold causes all the arteries in the body to constrict, so that more blood flow is in the central parts of the body like the gut and less on the surface where heat can be lost through the air. While this prevents hypothermia, it makes the heart work harder and need more oxygen itself. In addition, cold causes blood to be thicker, a phenomenon that could increase the risk of blood clots.

"This combination of the heart working harder, needing more oxygen and the blood being more prone to clotting results in a higher rate of heart attacks. In addition to this, people who already have blockages will experience more chest pain (angina) in the cold due to the heart working harder, and if this is tied to extra exertion, that risk could skyrocket."

Additionally, Dr Tamil Selvan Muthusamy, Consultant Cardiologist at Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL) told HealthandMe: "Extreme pollution, winter illnesses like the flu can cause inflammation that can trigger heart problems and holidays activities can put extra strain on the heart when it's already working overtime from the cold."

Apart from this, Dr Y. Vijayachandra Reddy, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road Chennai, also noted that hypertension, chest infections and excessive holiday drinking as well as smoking can worsen the risk of heart attack during this season.

He shared with the publication: "Chest infections and throat infections are quite common in the winter season. Intercurrent flu or other chest infections can cause an inflammatory milieu, which can lead to more ruptures of the cholesterol or atherosclerotic plaques in the blood vessels of the heart, leading to sudden precipitation of heart attacks.

"The holiday syndrome, wherein in the winter season, many holidays, weekends and people can take recourse to excessive recreational use of alcohol or smoking, which can lead to trouble."

Who Is Most At Risk?

Dr Naidu warns people who have a history of heart disease and other chronic conditions may be most at risk of having a heart attack and should attempt to maintain their body temperature to keep their heart safe and functioning.

"Taken together, people should understand that their baseline risk of a heart attack goes up significantly in the cold weather, especially if they have risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes or hypertension, and should take precautions or simply avoid exercise or exertion in the cold weather.

"If any exertion is needed, dressing warmly to make sure the heart doesn’t have to work so hard to maintain body temperature should reduce risk. Most importantly, though, listen to your body, especially in the cold weather, as just being in the cold is a significant stress especially as we get older," he explained to the publication.

To prevent infection-caused heart attacks, Dr Reddy advises: "One of the protective mechanisms is for the vulnerable population to take annual flu vaccine and a lifetime pneumococcal vaccine."

Coronary Artery Disease: The Silent Killer

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common illnesses that can cause a heart attack in people. It develops over years and has no clear signs and symptoms apart from a heart attack.

The illness begins due to a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances known as plaque in and on the artery walls.

Over time, this can cause narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries and block the supply of oxygen-rich blood to heart which can lead chest pain (angina), shortness of breath and ultimately, heart attacks.

Typically, those above the age of 45, having a biological family member with heart disease, lack of sleep, smoking, consuming saturated fats along with other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk of developing CAD.

Nearly one in 10 Indian adults suffer from CAD and about two million people die from the disease annually. Apart from this, about 18 to 20 million American adults aged 20 and older are also affected about the disease.

Simple changes to school lunches may help reduce junk food intake by at least 1,000 calories in children each day, a study shows.

Researchers from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, have discovered that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) that are rich in salt and sugar among adolescents can prevent future lifestyle diseases.

Ultra-processed foods are defined in four categories, ranging from least to most processed:

• Unprocessed or minimally processed foods like fruit, vegetables, milk or fish.
• Processed culinary ingredients like salt, sugar, olive oil and butter.
• Processed foods, such as jam, pickles or canned fruit.
• Ultra-processed foods, like energy drinks, sodas, sugary cereals, packaged chips, cookies and instant noodles

What Did The Research Find?

In this study, the scientists conducted a controlled trial across 12 government schools in Chandigarh, focusing on students of Class 8 and their parents. Over a six-month period, adolescents attended 11 structured sessions on nutrition awareness, food choices and behavior change and parents were given one focused educational session to encourage healthier food environments at home.

Additionally, the researchers also assessed dietary patterns in children using two non-consecutive 24-hour food recalls at the beginning and end of the intervention.

The scientists found that students who completed the six month program were consuming over 1,000 calories merely from junk food such as packaged snacks, sugary beverages and fast food and only 270 calories from other processed foods, signaling a broader shift away from unhealthy diets.

They noted: "This suggests that reducing unhealthy consumption is easier than building healthy eating habits, and both require different strategies."

Does Parental Involvement Make Any Difference?

Researchers also found that despite parental intervention, eating patterns showed little change, highlighting the role schools can play as frontline institutions in preventing lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

“Low-cost, scalable education and behavior-change strategies in schools could have a long-term impact on public health,” the team said, adding that such programs are particularly relevant in countries where healthcare systems face increasing pressure from non-communicable diseases.

Moreover, the study showed that students did not significantly increase fruit or home-cooked food intake even when junk food consumption fell, indicating that cutting unhealthy food is easier than building healthy habits.

Why Are UPFs Bad For You?

Apart from being linked to higher risks of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart issues, UPFs have also been found to worsen cognitive function, attention issues, anxiety and depression in children as additives and inflammation may disrupt brain pathways.

Furthermore, additives, emulsifiers, and nanoparticles and low fiber content can disrupt the gut microbiome, affecting digestion and immunity as well as overall growth.

UPFs also reduce satiety, because industrial processing alters their structure, making them softer and easier to eat and digest. This leads to a faster rate of consumption, which can override natural fullness signals and cause people to overeat.

The scientists concluded that schools could become frontline institutions for preventing future lifestyle diseases, using low-cost education and behaviour strategies, the team said.

A newly developed “smart pill” that can confirm whether a medication has actually been swallowed could one day change how doctors track prescription use. Created by researchers at MIT along with partner institutions, the technology was described in a study published in Nature Communications. These electronic capsules are designed to send out a wireless signal once ingested and then safely dissolve inside the stomach over the course of about a week.

While the idea sounds straightforward, the implications are significant. Research shows that nearly half of Americans living with chronic illnesses do not take long-term medications exactly as prescribed. Below is what you need to know about how this smart pill works and why it matters.

What Is The New Smart Pill Designed By MIT Researchers?

In a development aimed at improving medication adherence, engineers at MIT have created a pill that can confirm when it has been swallowed. The reporting mechanism can be built into standard pill capsules and includes a biodegradable radio frequency antenna. After transmitting a signal to confirm ingestion, most of the pill’s components dissolve in the stomach. A tiny radio frequency chip then passes naturally through the digestive system and exits the body.

According to MIT News, researchers believe this technology could be particularly helpful for transplant recipients who rely on immunosuppressive drugs, as well as patients being treated long term for infections such as HIV or tuberculosis.

“The idea is to make sure this helps people receive the treatment they need so they can achieve the best possible health outcomes,” Giovanni Traverso, associate professor of medical engineering and senior author of the study, told MIT News.

The New Smart Pill Can Communicate

Not taking medication as prescribed remains a major public health problem, contributing to hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths and adding billions of dollars to healthcare costs every year. To address this, Traverso’s team has previously developed capsules that can stay in the digestive system for days or even weeks, releasing medicine at scheduled intervals. However, not every drug can be delivered in this way.

“We know that systems designed to stay in the body longer can improve adherence,” Traverso explained. “But for some medications, altering the pill isn’t an option. So the question is what else we can do to support patients and help healthcare providers ensure medications are actually being taken.”

In this latest study, the researchers shifted their focus toward better tracking of medication use. They turned to radio frequency technology, which is safe for humans and easy to detect from outside the body. This allowed them to design a capsule that sends a signal once it has been swallowed, giving doctors a clearer picture of whether patients are taking their medicine.

The Smart Pill Will Be Using Radio Frequency

The capsule is designed to keep its signal blocked until it reaches the stomach. After ingestion, stomach fluids dissolve the outer coating, activating the radio frequency signal that confirms the pill has been swallowed. The remaining materials then break down safely inside the body.

To test the system, researchers conducted experiments in pigs, whose digestive systems are similar to those of humans. The study found that the capsules consistently transmitted signals after ingestion and dissolved without leaving behind harmful chemical residue, according to MIT News.

Looking ahead, researchers told the New York Post that they hope to develop a wearable device for humans that could receive the signal and automatically share the information with healthcare providers. Still, widespread use is not imminent. Despite encouraging early findings, the smart pills will need thorough testing in human trials to confirm both safety and effectiveness before they can receive approval.