becoming a better Clinician
Death Certificate
Acceptable Immediate Cause(s) of Death
- Bronchopneumonia
- Acute Myocardial Infarct
- Intercerebral Hemorrhage
- Liver Failure
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Coagulopathy
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Metastasis
- Terminal Complications of hepatic cirrhosis
- Alcohol abuse
Do NOT use
- Cardiac Arrest
- Respiratory Arrest
- Failure to Thrive
- Cardiopulmonary Arrest
- Respiratory Failure
- Multi Organ/System Failure
Example #1
1. Non-specific Causes - By far the most commonly encountered errors in cause of death statements are lack of an etiologic specific cause of death
In this case, nothing listed gives any indication of what disease or injury is responsible for this individuals condition. A brief review of his medical history shows this is a 49 year-old man with hepatic cirrhosis from years of alcohol abuse. The Cause of death could be stated simply as
a. Terminal complications of hepatic cirrhosis days
b. Alcohol abuse years