Searches for 'how do people die of alzheimers' went up 650 per cent.
Alzheimer's sufferers typically die from complications related to the disease.
The disease itself is an incurable degenerative condition, which kills cells in the brain.
It can last for 15 to 20 years, but the most advanced stages usually last around two years.
Over time, patients lose their natural reflexes that keep us alive, such as swallowing, coughing, and breathing.
They also lose their appetite, their speech, and their ability to move independently.
The most common cause of death is aspiration pneumonia, which can lead to a seizure or a stroke.
This can be caused by a patient forgetting to chew or losing the ability to swallow, inhaling food instead.
The food or liquid then deposits itself in the lungs, which should normally only contain oxygen.
A healthy body could shift the food with a strong cough.
However, Alzheimer's patients may have a decreased level of consciousness alerting them to do this.
Another common cause of death is heart attack.
As Alzheimer's patients lose their ability to move freely, they often become bedbound.
This can lead to blood clots and poor heart health, which drives up the risk of a coronary arrest.
The third most common cause of death is from a common infection.
Alzheimer's patients become more and more susceptible to infections as they lose weight due to loss of appetite and lose strength due to loss of movement.
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