HEALTH & SCIENCE

Alzheimer's deaths on rise

Mortality related to this disease increased more than for any other of the top 10 killers, prompting concern about the ever-increasing burden on caregivers.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. March 8, 2004.

Deaths related to Alzheimer's disease increased nearly 6% from 2001 to 2002, according to "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2002," a report published by the National Center for Health Statistics last month. This finding comes on the heels of a 5% increase between 2000 to 2001, and a 9% increase from 1999 to 2000.

Experts blame the phenomenon on the convergence of several trends, including changes in the death certificate system, improvements in medical technology and a shift in demographics. But they also see the numbers as a warning signal about the continuing strain that spiraling rates of Alzheimer's morbidity and mortality will impose on the health care system.

"This is huge," said Andrew Neal Dentino, MD, chief of the section of geriatrics at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. "We are winning the war against some diseases or at least doing better. Hence, Alzheimer's rears it's ugly head."

Heart disease, which remains the No. 1 killer, is down 3% and cancer, the second place holder, is down 1%. But, as inroads are made in treating these illnesses, more people are living long enough to develop Alzheimer's, for which age is the greatest risk factor. In other words, many experts believe the graying of America is leading to the increase.

"A lot of major causes are going down, and you have to die of something," said Ken Kochanek, a NCHS statistician. "Twenty or 30 years ago, you had a heart attack and you died. Nowadays, you live another 20 years and then become old enough to die of something else."

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