Thousands more dying as dementia rates soar
DEMENTIA is driving soaring death rates – killing twice as many women as men, figures show.
The brain-wasting illness accounted for 13 per cent of the 533,253 deaths registered in England and Wales last year.
The total number of deaths rose 1.6 per cent on 2016 and was the highest since 2003.
The Office for National Statistics said yesterday that vascular and unspecified dementia claimed the lives of 32,282 women and 17,375 men last year.
Alzheimer’s, which is the most common form of dementia, killed 12,250 women and 5,734 men. Dementia deaths rose to 67,641 from 62,948 in 2016.
Dementia, for which there is no cure, is caused by changes in nerve cells in the brain, leading to cognitive decline.
Symptoms include memory loss, confused thinking and difficulties with speech and problem-solving.
Better diagnosis and an ageing population are blamed for the rise but experts said the harrowing condition remains one of the greatest health crises of our time.
Urgent
Dr Matthew Norton, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “These figures yet again underline the overwhelming impact of dementia for the UK and for hundreds of thousands of families who are hit.
“With one in four hospital beds occupied by someone with dementia and deaths from the condition rising we must take urgent action.
“Deaths from many serious diseases are now falling and by investing in dementia research we can offer the same hope.”
Also yesterday, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, 62, ploughed £23million into the Diagnostics Accelerator, a fund aimed at finding ways to speed up diagnosis.
The biggest killer overall remains cancer at 27.5 per cent of all deaths.
ONS statistician Vasita Patel said: “Mortality rates for cancers, respiratory diseases and circulatory diseases have decreased. However, rates increased for mental and behavioural disorders, such as dementia, and diseases of the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.”