The Causes of Human Death

Disease, especially infectious disease is a leading cause of death in developing countries. Heart disease, cancer, and diseases caused by obesity are other leading diseases that cause death.

There are many causes of human death. The most common ones are death by disease, by suffocation/asphyxiation (which is a prolonged lack of oxygen to one's brain), physical trauma either by accident or through intentional circumstance such as in a homicide, suicide, and the natural process of aging.

Disease, especially infectious disease is a leading cause of death in developing countries. Heart disease, cancer, and diseases caused by obesity are other leading diseases that cause death.

As technology has advanced, death has become more of a condition to be managed than an occurance to be recorded as in days past.

In many cases an autopsy is ordered to determine the cause of death. An autopsy is a postmortem examination by a licensed specialized doctor called a pathologist. the autopsy is also called a postmortem examination. It is a medical procedure in which an examination of the corpse is conducted to determine or evaluate the state of death. Diseases or injuries that are presented are noted. They are usually performed for legal or medical reasons and can be ordered by a judge when homicide has been suspected. Autopsies can be of an external nature or both external and internal. In some cases permission is necessary from next of kin before a internal examination can be performed. The body is put back together after the autopsy is completed. Autopsy is necessary when there is a question as to medical malpractice so that mistakes can be analyzed and medical practices improved.

In the United States the leading cause of death is heart disease followed in order by cancer, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), chronic lower respiratory disease such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, unintentional injuries caused by accidents, diabetes, flu and pneumonia, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease and systemic infection.

Angel Of Death Even those who are dying from the same illness at the same time will have differing conditions as to degree of pain felt, or the intensity of other symptoms. The speed or arrival at the “final stage” and even how long the duration of the final stage will be can also be different. It may even be that in the unfortunate occurrence of when family members and other loved ones are the same for two different dying individuals the relationships experienced with each member will be different. Angel Of Death

In young people the leading cause of death is accidents followed by  homicide, suicide, cancer and heart disease.

Cancer strikes fear in the minds of most people and includes cancer of the lung, colon, breast, prostate, pancreas, lymphoma, and also leukemia.

The result of medical and technological advances people are living increasing longer lives most into their 70s, 80s and 90s and then succumbing to the aging process with causes of death such as cardiac disease, cancer or degenerative disease.

As a general observation youth is more vulnerable to violent death, middle age succumbs to disease and conditions that affect those who participate in high risk activities and old age is more vulnerable to diseases that are related to the debility expected in the aging body such as accidental falls, chronic disease, dementia and infection.

As a person reaches advanced age the cause of death becomes increasingly due to a combination of things and becomes more difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of death thus autopsy is done less frequently the older a person becomes; unless of course foul play is suspected.

Lifestyle and behavior can greatly contribute to cause of death. Lifestyle activities such as tobacco usage, poor diet and lack of exercise, alcohol consumption, microbial agents, toxic agents, firearms usage or exposure, sexual behavior, motor vehicle accidents and the illicit use of drugs.

News About Death & Dying

09/03/2010
On Spanish Roads, Just 10 Minutes Could Prevent One-Third Of Deaths
Spanish researchers have calculated the probability of dying in road accidents on the basis of the time taken for the emergency services to arrive. Their conclusions are clear - reducing the time between an accident taking place and the arrival of the emergency services from 25 to 15 minutes would cut the risk of death by one-third. "The average wait after an accident until the emergency medical ...

On Spanish Roads, Just 10 Minutes Could Prevent One-Third Of Deaths

09/04/2010
Man indicted after wife eaten by maggots
A Madisonville man has been indicted after investigators say his wife was eaten by maggots as she lay in her bed dying.

Man indicted after wife eaten by maggots

09/03/2010
Drugged to death: Accidental overdoses from Rx cocktails alarm military officials - Navy News | News from Afghanistan ...
At least 32 soldiers and Marines assigned to their services' most-supervised medical units for wounded troops have died of accidental prescription drug overdoses since 2007.

Drugged to death: Accidental overdoses from Rx cocktails alarm military officials - Navy News | News from Afghanistan ...

09/04/2010
Man indicted after wife eaten by maggots
A Madisonville man has been indicted after investigators say his wife was eaten by maggots as she lay in her bed dying.

Man indicted after wife eaten by maggots