Unexpected result following autopsy of "Friends" star Matthew Perry

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has released the initial report concerning the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry. Perry passed away on Saturday at the age of 54.

Perry was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home's hot tub around 1 p.m. Eastern Time. On Sunday, the coroner's office updated the case status online, indicating that the cause of death has been "deferred". But what does this imply?

Generally, such terminology is employed when an autopsy is completed but the medical examiner requires additional time and tests to establish the cause of death. A source from "People" magazine disclosed that Perry's autopsy results are awaiting a toxicology report, which could take several weeks.

Bear in mind that Matthew Perry struggled with addiction throughout the majority of his life, a struggle best encapsulated by startling statistics. The actor entered rehab 65 times, dedicated thousands of hours to AA meetings, and overall, spent 30 years in therapy. His first drink was at 14, a moment he recalls as feeling "heavenly". By the age of 18, he was drinking daily.

Alcohol and psychoactive substances were effectively a part of his entire adult life, even during his time on the series that catapulted him into the limelight. Just a year ago, upon the release of his autobiography, he marked 18 months of sobriety and aspired to start a family. Perry's most recent appearances on-screen were in 2017 in the series "The Odd Couple", "The Perfect Case" and "The Kennedys After Camelot".