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| Dementia now leading cause of death | Dementia now leading cause of death |
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| Dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease, has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales, latest figures reveal. | Dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease, has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales, latest figures reveal. |
| Last year, more than 61,000 people died of dementia - 11.6% of all recorded deaths. | Last year, more than 61,000 people died of dementia - 11.6% of all recorded deaths. |
| The Office for National Statistics says the change is largely due to an ageing population. | The Office for National Statistics says the change is largely due to an ageing population. |
| People are living for longer and deaths from some other causes, including heart disease, have gone down. | People are living for longer and deaths from some other causes, including heart disease, have gone down. |
| Also, doctors have got better at diagnosing dementia and the condition is now given more weight on death certificates. | Also, doctors have got better at diagnosing dementia and the condition is now given more weight on death certificates. |
| The bulk of the dementia deaths seen were among women - 41,283, compared to 20,403 dementia deaths in men in 2015. | |
| Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, accounted for 15.2% of all female deaths, up from 13.4% in 2014. | |
| For men, however, heart disease remained the leading cause of death in 2015. | For men, however, heart disease remained the leading cause of death in 2015. |
| All types of cancer as a group was still the most common cause of death overall. | All types of cancer as a group was still the most common cause of death overall. |
| In the youngest age group, aged 5 to 19, suicide was the leading cause of death. | In the youngest age group, aged 5 to 19, suicide was the leading cause of death. |
| Among women aged 35 to 49, breast cancer was the biggest killer. | Among women aged 35 to 49, breast cancer was the biggest killer. |
| Hilary Evans 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. | Hilary Evans 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. |
| "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." | "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." |
| There are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. | There are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. |
| Warning signs of dementia | Warning signs of dementia |
| Seek medical advice if your memory loss is affecting daily life and especially if you: | Seek medical advice if your memory loss is affecting daily life and especially if you: |