What is cause of death?
The cause of death is the ultimate cause which someone dies. Doctors in the Netherlands must fill out a cause of death on death form for the purpose of statistics. This is often less clear than one might think at first glance.
Example
Someone has diabetes , causing the blood vessels much more rapidly than normal constrict under the influence of atherosclerosis . One or more non-fatal myocardial infarctions follow. The patient also receives a malignant tumor in the intestine , with metastases to the liver . He loses weight rapidly and at one point he stops breathing and he is dead. What is the cause of death? The stopping of the heartbeat. With a new heart attack? Exhaustion? By a pulmonary embolism ? By cancer ? Determining the final cause is a matter of definition, even if we just (think they) know what happened. Is it the tumor, myocardial infarction, diabetes, atherosclerosis or the rottenness ?
On the Dutch form is therefore room to indicate what is the immediate cause is, what the underlying causes are longer-term, and which disease (s) may further have contributed yet.
Not infrequently happens that people are found dead in bed. There is usually no special reason to doubt natural causes but without autopsy it can be a heart attack, stroke , pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade , seizure or other acute condition have been. Usually there will be no autopsy place. Cause of death statistics should be interpreted with some caution. Also, an autopsy incidentally, does not always provide a solution.
Causes of death in the Netherlands
In 2003, 62% of the deceased died from cardiovascular disease or cancer . The main causes of death in 2003 were coronary heart disease (15,500 deaths), stroke (11 600) and lung cancer (8900). The cause of death of children between 2 and 12 is usually cancer. This refers in particular brain tumors and leukemia. In older children between 13 and 16 provide for the greatest mortality traffic accidents. In boys between 2 and 5 years, drowning the leading cause of death.
At a young age in general (0-24 years), the leading causes of death were congenital defects , diseases originate in the perinatal period, traffic accidents and suicide . At the age of 25-44 years most people die in traffic accidents, suicide and cancer . In middle and older age (over 45 years) that coronary heart disease, stroke , dementia , pneumonia , COPD and lung cancer for men.
Causes of death in the European Union
In the 27 Member States of the European Union are diseases of the cardiovascular system, the leading cause of death. In 2004, nearly 2 million people died this. 740 thousand deceased is mortality from coronary heart disease, the most important ones. In the Netherlands the average relatively lower coronary heart disease; in the new eastern European countries, the mortality from these diseases is the highest. In France , mortality from coronary heart disease is lowest, this is known as the French paradox . In Iceland die significantly more men than women.
A Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of coronary heart disease; lots of olive oil , fish , vegetables and fruit and garlic . Also, tobacco and alcohol play a role (but negative), as well as hereditary factors and differences in diagnosis and classification.