Alzheimer's a much larger cause of death than reported

A new U.S. study suggests that Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are markedly under-reported on death certificates and medical records. Death certificates tend to only provide an immediate cause, such as pneumonia, and don’t mention the underlying condition that provoked it.

The study involved 2,566 older adults (65+; mean age 78) who received annual testing for dementia. The death rate was more than four times higher for those aged 75-84 who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and nearly three times higher in those with Alzheimer’s aged 85+. More than one-third of all deaths in those age groups were attributable to Alzheimer's disease. Median time from Alzheimer’s diagnosis to death was 3.8 years.

All this translates into an estimated mortality rate from Alzheimer's that is five to six times higher than the accepted number (derived from death certificates), which has put Alzheimer’s as the 6^th leading cause of death.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-03/aaon-sad022614.php

[3579] James, B. D., Leurgans S. E., Hebert L. E., Scherr P. A., Yaffe K., & Bennett D. A.
(2014). Contribution of Alzheimer disease to mortality in the United States.
Neurology. 82(12), 1045 - 1050.

mortality

seniors

Alzheimer's Disease

Related News

Why a select group of seniors retain their cognitive abilities

A certain level of mental decline in the senior years is regarded as normal, but some fortunate few don’t suffer from any decline at all.

Memory genes vary in protecting against age-related cognitive decline

Previous research has found that carriers of the so-called

Obesity linked to better cognition in post-menopausal women

Obesity has been linked to cognitive decline, but a new study involving 300 post-menopausal women has found that higher BMI was associated with higher cognitive scores.

How neighborhood status affects cognitive function in older adults

In the last five years, three studies have linked lower neighborhood socioeconomic status to lower cognitive function in older adults. Neighborhood has also been linked to self-rated health, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.

Which 'Senior moments' may signal mental decline

A telephone survey of around 17,000 older women (average age 74), which included questions about memory lapses plus standard cognitive tests, found that getting lost in familiar neighborhoods was highly associated with cognitive impairment that might indicate Alzheimer’s.

Timing of estrogen therapy is crucial

The very large and long-running Women's Health Initiative study surprised everyone when it produced its finding that hormone therapy generally increased rather than decreased stroke risk as well as other health problems.

When age helps decision making

Research has shown that younger adults are better decision makers than older adults — a curious result. A new study tried to capture more ‘real-world’ decision-making, by requiring participants to evaluate each result in order to strategize the next choice.

Memory fitness program improves memory abilities of oldest adults

In a study involving 115 seniors (average age 81), those who participated in a six-week, 12-session memory training program significantly improved their verbal memory.

Errorless learning not always best for older brains

Following a 1994 study that found that errorless learning was better than trial-and-error learning for amnesic patients and older adults, errorless learning has been widely adopted in the rehabilitation industry.

Ability to remember memories' origin develops slowly

In the study, 18 children (aged 7-8), 20 adolescents (13-14), and 20 young adults (20-29) were shown pictures and asked to decide whether it was a new picture or one they had seen earlier.

Pages