1. Certifying the fact of death (or declaring dead) &
2. Identifying the cause of death [this is called Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD)]
Declaring a death only to discover that the patient later woke up is not acceptable and can be very embarrassing
As a minimum, a full set of observations should be undertaken and documented, in particular placing a stethoscope on the patient’s chest [Remember ABC = airway, breathing and circulation]
Identifying the cause of death is a vital step in death certification
The causes of death are not the same across the globe; they differ from place to place
What is the leading cause of death among middle-aged adults in?
Place | Most common cause of death |
---|---|
Bangalore city, India | Malaria |
A district in Orissa state, India | Homicide |
A district in southern Africa | HIV/AIDS |
A district in sub-Saharan Africa | Cardiovascular disease |
Place | Most common cause of death |
---|---|
Bangalore city, India | Cardiovascular disease |
A district in Orissa state, India | Malaria |
A district in southern Africa | HIV/AIDS |
A district in sub-Saharan Africa | Homicide |