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   Dementia becomes Britain’s biggest killer   
      
    An elderly person   
   Dementia and Alzheimer's have overtaken heart disease as Britain's biggest   
   killer CREDIT: ALAMY   
    John Bingham, social affairs editor    
   14 NOVEMBER 2016 • 12:40PM   
   Dementia and Alzheimer’s are now the biggest cause of death in England and   
   Wales after jumping by a fifth in a single year, official figures show.   
      
   They overtook heart disease as Britain’s biggest killer, accounting for   
   almost one in eight deaths recorded in England and Wales 2015 – a total of   
   61,686 people – according to the Office for National Statistics.   
      
   The milestone is a vivid illustration of the impact of the ageing society in   
   Britain and underlines the changing pressures facing the NHS.   
      
   It comes amid growing calls for the Chancellor Philip Hammond to use his   
   Autumn Statement to allocate extra cash to help tackle the crisis in social   
   care following a string of warnings that care homes face going out of business.   
      
   What is dementia? In 60 secondsWatch | The difference between dementia and   
   Alzheimers – in 60 seconds   
   01:06   
   Dementia and Alzheimer’s overtook heart disease as the leading cause of   
   death among women three years ago but was only the third biggest cause of male   
   death at the time, behind ischaemic heart diseases and cerebovascular   
   diseases, at the time.   
      
   But last year alone the dementia linked death rate jumped by almost 20 per   
   cent among women and 16 per cent among men.   
      
   The ONS said the surge in deaths in which dementia and Alzheimer’s were   
   listed as the underlying cause partly reflects longer life spans as well as   
   greater awareness of the condition.   
      
      
   Although women traditionally live longer than men, the increase in dementia   
   among men is further evidence of the gradual narrowing of the gap in life   
   expectancy between the sexes as a result of changes in lifestyles in recent   
   decades.   
      
   Elizabeth McLaren, an ONS statistician, said: “In 2015, dementia and   
   Alzheimer's disease became the leading cause of death in part because people   
   are simply living longer but also because of improved detection and diagnosis.   
      
   “An updating of the international rules for determining the underlying cause   
   of death is also a factor, with the increase in cases attributed to these   
   conditions accompanied by falls in other causes.”   
      
   Schoolboy's heartbreaking song about grandma's struggle with dementiaWatch |   
   Schoolboy's heartbreaking song about grandma's struggle with dementia   
   01:02   
   Cancers, as a broad category, remain the most common cause of death when   
   analysed by disease group, accounting for 27.9 per cent of all deaths   
   registered in England and Wales in 2015, ahead of circulatory diseases, such   
   as heart diseases and strokes (26.   
   2 per cent).   
      
   Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “These   
   figures once again call attention to the uncomfortable reality that currently,   
   no-one survives a diagnosis of dementia."   
      
   She added: "With growing numbers of people living with dementia, we urgently   
   need treatments that can stop or slow the diseases that drive this devastating   
   condition.   
      
   New drug trial gives hope for those with Alzheimer'sWatch | New drug trial   
   gives hope for those with Alzheimer's   
   01:32   
   “Today’s report shows the potential for medical research and public policy   
   to make a positive impact on the health of our nation.   
      
   “Thanks to better treatments and prevention programmes, deaths from many   
   other serious conditions have been steadily dropping: now we must do the same   
   for dementia.   
      
   “Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing, it’s caused by diseases   
   that can be fought through research, and we must bring all our efforts to bear   
   on what is now our greatest medical challenge.”   
      
   Martina Kane, Senior Policy Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “While   
   there remains no cure for the condition, everyone who develops it will sadly   
   still have the disease when they die.    
      
   “It is therefore essential that people have access to the right support and   
   services to help them live well with dementia and that research into better   
   care, treatments and eventually a cure remain high on the agenda.”   
      
      
   FAQ | Dementia   
   What is dementia?   
   Dementia is a loose term used to describe different degenerative disorders   
   that trigger a gradual loss of brain function - thinking, remembering and   
   reasoning.   
      
   Is it the same as Alzheimer’s?   
   Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for around 62   
   per cent of all diagnosed cases.   
      
   Who gets it?   
   In most people, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. An estimated 850,000   
   people in the UK have dementia, with the number set to rise to more than a   
   million by 2025.   
      
   Is there a cure?   
   Dementia is currently incurable, though there are drugs available that can   
   help some of the symptoms or slow its progression.   
      
   What causes it?   
   The causes are still not completely understood. Scientists believe genetic,   
   lifestyle and environmental factors all play a role.   
       
      
   READ MORE ABOUT:   
      
   HEALTH   
   DEMENTIA   
   NHS   
      
      
      
      
        
   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/dementia-becomes-brit   
   ins-biggest-killer/   
      
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