Dementia

A brain disease characterised by more than one cognitive disorder (e.g. reduced memory, mental capacity or recognition of objects or faces). Without further specifications, the diagnosis is demential syndrome (ICD-10 code: F03), which accounted for nearlyy 65 percent of dementia-related deaths in 2014 and is classified under mental disorders (Chapter F of the ICD-10 Codes). Alzheimer’s disease (ICD-10 code G30) is the most common form of dementia accounting for around 25 percent of dementia-related deaths in 2014, followed by vascular dementia (ICD-10 code F01), which accounted for around 9 percent of dementia-related deaths in 2014. For the purpose of tabulation of dementia as a cause of death, the ICD-10 codes F01-F03, F05 and G30 are combined together. This is because on death certificates, the term used to specify cause of death is often just dementia rather than the specific form; in addition, more mixed forms of dementia have been observed over time, e.g. vascular dementia combined with Alzheimer’s. The proportion of Alzheimer’s in dementia-related deaths went up from 10 to 25 percent over the period 1996-2014. The codes used cover around 90 to 95 percent of dementia-related deaths. A small proportion of dementia-related mortality is classified under ICD-10 code G31 (other degenerative diseases of the nervous system) without further distinction from other diseases of the nervous system, while a major part of the mortality caused by a fall (ICD-10 codes W00-W19) among people above 85 is caused by a decreased range of posture or motion which is related to dementia (in particular to lewy body dementia).