A better understanding of the harms caused by dementia has contributed to a rise in the deaths attributed to the condition PADementia has overtaken heart disease to become the leading cause of death in England and Wales. An ageing population and better understanding of the harms caused by the condition mean that 11.6 per cent of deaths are now attributed to dementia, compared with 11.5 per cent for heart disease, official figures have shown. The detection rate for dementia has risen, but there is no cure at present. Experts said that the increase of dementia had huge implications for the NHS, which is treating a growing number of frail older people. Last year dementia was responsible for killing 41,283 women — 15.2 per cent of…

Source: The Times November 15, 2016 00:05 UTC