When someone is said to have "died of old age", what exactly caused their death?
2007-05-26 14:03:08 · 19 answers · asked by David B 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
As we age our organs start to fail. This seems to be natural in that cell replication starts to mess up. Some say there is a built in mechanism that messes with cell replication. Usually this places a great deal of stress on the heart and it is usually the heart that cannot keep up. Google telomere; very fascinating. Great question BTW.
2007-05-26 14:10:42 · answer #1 · answered by screaming monk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is an incredible essay on this subject at the link below. I was working hospice last year at this time and saw it first hand. Hospice is term they apply to those who will not get better and are going to just keep closing down, system-wise, until they die. Those who work hospice are the care-givers (nurses, nurses aides, doctors) dedicated to caring for those who will not survive. In other words, you know when you walk in the room that the person you will be caring for is going to die, probably within a month.
The exact cause of "old age" death can be many things, but from a medical and legal standpoint, I don't think a standard has been officially set. For example, the lady I did hospice work for eventually passed because her liver shut down followed by other body functions. She did not have liver disease, she was very, very elderly and --- specific to her --- the liver had done all it could do. It was noted on her death certificate that she died of cardiac arrest which happened because of the liver and other organs shutting down. Everyone says she died of old age, but what really happened? Did she die of liver failure? Cardiac arrest? Just age?
2007-05-26 14:21:21 · answer #2 · answered by certifiedtarotmaster 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not possible for someone to die of old age. The real reason is usually some disease the person has, or one of their major organs just stops. You can't just die of old age. If you died of old age what age was it? Everyone dies at a different age so you can't just die because your old..=] Hope this helps (pick for best anwser plz)
2007-05-27 03:57:45 · answer #3 · answered by . 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What they really mean is that the person in question didn't die of a chronic disease or problem like a heart attack, cancer, stroke, or emphasima. Just a natual passing in the night while they are sleeping, or dying of a cold, or flu that they just don't have the strength to fight off any more.
2007-05-26 14:07:30 · answer #4 · answered by crazz_32 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The major organs - Lungs- Kidneys- Heart. Stop working
2007-05-26 14:06:49 · answer #5 · answered by jmada05 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just a way of saying that whatever they died of, was natural considering their age. Could be heart attack, stroke, or something else, but usually happens in their sleep.
2007-05-26 14:05:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you live long enough, one of your major organs is more likely to fail. A major cause of such deaths is heart arrythmia. The heart loses its rythym and just stops.
2007-05-26 14:06:23 · answer #7 · answered by bailey88 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
he or she had a good life and died of old age
2007-05-26 14:06:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Wow, that's a good question. I guess their organs just shut down because their body has reached it's full age.
2007-05-26 14:05:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Old age.
2007-05-26 14:05:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋