A recent publication from WHO lists the leading causes of death worldwide. On that list is “Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias.” While I understand that Alzheimer’s disease can be fatal, the dementia, per se, isn’t the cause of death, is it? That is a cognitive issue. Why is this listed as a cause of death? Do that many Alzheimer’s patients inadvertently walk into traffic? It seems misleading and imprecise. It seems - pardon the indelicate comparison - somewhat like claiming that the third leading cause of auto deaths was stupidity. Doctor Dopers?
Neither an expert nor a doctor. However, when causes of death are determined, medical professionals work backwards and assess factors that significantly contributed. Cognitive issues can be a contributing factor in poor health and quite possibly many people would have lived longer, healthier lives without it. This is not only a factor of causing sudden, but otherwise-avoidable, death. Cognitive impairments may cause people to miss health issues, fail to take care of their bodies, or be unable to communicate problems clearly.
As far as the WHO goes, if you have the publication we could look and see what they specifically state concerning the issue.
IANAD, but I read an interesting article on the subject on the Alzheimers (UK) website. It appears that whilst alzheimers in itself doesn’t directly cause death, it does weaken immune systems as well as brain function, so many of the conditions that people DO die of (such as pneumonia or a fall) are a direct result of alzheimers, and doctors can now record that as the cause of death.
My relative’s cause of death was dementia. She eventually curled up in a fetal ball, ceased to be responsive or eat, and died. No other cause of death listed.
The brain cells that regulate cognition are not that far away from the brain cells that regulate cardiac and respiratory functions. If something interferes with one, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be able to interfere with the other.
In end stage dementia, the patient basically “forgets” how to breathe, how to stay awake, how to move, and so on.
This.
Contrary to what most people think, dementia which include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease isn’t just mental, it can affect body movement and functions before mental capabilities. My aunt had Lewy Body Dementia. She struggled with body movement, but her mind was still nearly fully active. I’ve never bothered to read the official cause of death, but my Mom also had dementia during the final months of her life, where prior to that, other a being forgetful and had difficulty walking, she was active and aware mentally. n a nutshell, as described below, both their bodies began shutting down long before their minds.
"## What are the signs of end-stage dementia in the elderly?
It is important for caregivers to know when an individual with dementia is close to the end of their life, because it helps ensure they receive the right amount of care at the right time. It can be difficult to know exactly when this time is due to the variable nature of dementia’s progression, but understanding common end-of-life symptoms of seniors with dementia can help. Below is a timeline of signs of dying in elderly people with dementia:
Final Six Months
- A diagnosis of another condition such as cancer, congestive heart failure or COPD
- An increase in hospital visits or admissions
Final Two-to-Three Months
- Speech limited to six words or less per day
- Difficulty in swallowing or choking on liquids or food
- Unable to walk or sit upright without assistance
- Incontinence
Final Days/Weeks
- Hands, feet, arms and legs may be increasingly cold to the touch
- Inability to swallow
- Terminal agitation or restlessness
- An increasing amount of time asleep or drifting into unconsciousness
- Changes in breathing, including shallow breaths or periods without breathing for several seconds or up to a minute
Patients with dementia are eligible to receive hospice care if they have a diagnosis of six months or less to live if the disease progresses in a typical fashion. Once a patient begins experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is time to speak with a hospice professional about how they can help provide added care and support."
IAAD, I put diagnoses on death certificates, and I also routinely do death reviews for inmates who have died while in custody. Our reviews name a primary cause of death, along with major contributing factors. I’ve never listed dementia as a primary cause of death, but it’s often been on my list of contributing factors.
That data gets harvested by various agencies and used to generate their statistics.
My grandmother’s death certificate lists Alzheimer’s as the primary cause of death. This was in Colorado, in case anybody wonders.