How does Alzheimer's kill you?

While the disease devastates the brain, it does not kill you. Complications of the decline in brain function is what leads to death. Not being able to swallow properly is particularly dangerous. read more

Photo Credit: kzenon/iStock/Getty Images According to 2105 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer disease (AD) is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States. read more

Most common cause of death in individuals with advanced Alzheimer's disease is an intercurrent infection, mostly pneumonia. An intercurrent infection is almost inevitable consequence of advanced dementia because of impairment of immune function, inability to ambulate, incontinence, and aspiration. read more

The CDC considers a person to have died from Alzheimer’s if the death certificate lists Alzheimer’s as an underlying cause of death. However, death certificates often list the primary cause of death for a person with Alzheimer’s as pneumonia, heart failure or infection. read more