CDC: Alzheimer's Now 8th Leading Cause of Death

The death rate from Alzheimer's disease is rising, jumping from the 12th leading cause of death in 1998 to the 8th in 1999, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The report, "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 1999," is an analysis of over 99 percent of the death certificates recorded in the U.S. that year.

Part of the reason for the rise in ranking is due to reclassification of the disease to include pre0-enile dementia.

"The new data on Alzheimer's mortality adds to our understanding of the magnitude of this serious problem," said Edward Sondik, director of the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. "It is through improvements in our system that we're able to more accurately measure the impact of this disease and others on our citizens."

As a result of the new classification, the number of Alzheimer's deaths in 1999 surpassed the totals of such other major causes of death as motor vehicle accidents and breast cancer, according to the report.

Other sources: CDC