A Review of Causes of Mortality in an Acute Medicine of the Elderly and Acute Stroke Service

Received: October 10, 2012
Accepted: May 11, 2013
Ref: Ogundipe OA, Vink E, Mair J. A review of causes of mortality in an acute medicine of the elderly and acute stroke service. Internet J Med Update. 2014;9(1):16-26.

Ogundipe OA*, Vink E* and Mair J**

*Department of Medicine of the Elderly, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH16 4SA, UK
**Department of Medicine of the Elderly, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH4 2XU, UK

(Corresponding Author: Dr. OA Ogundipe, Department of Medicine of the Elderly, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH16 4SA, UK; Email: ola_ayodele@hotmail.com)

ABSTRACT

The information recorded in medical certificates of cause of death (MCCD) can influence population-based mortality and statistical reviews. Data retrieved from MCCD based studies can inform certain aspects of public health planning, health service delivery and evaluation, and could potentially impact health resource allocation. This study retrospectively reviews a total of 173 consecutive MCCD counterfoil records. This included 71 deaths from an acute stroke unit/ward (ASU), and 102 deaths from acute medicine of the elderly (acute MoE) wards of a tertiary referral hospital in a developed country. Disease/condition classification was based upon the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) (ICD-10, WHO). We describe the top five ICD-10 categories of diseases/conditions documented in Parts 1 and 2 of the MCCD during the study period. We also describe the top five underlying primary medical conditions recorded on the MCCD. A review of some other notable diseases/conditions recorded during the study period is also presented.

KEY WORDS: Cause of Death; Death Certificate; ICD-10; Medicine of the Elderly; Mortality; Stroke

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