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Forensic pathologist explains what is most likely to kill you

Home> News

Published 17:11 5 Nov 2022 GMT

Forensic pathologist explains what is most likely to kill you

There are some causes of death that are much more common than others

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

Though no one likes to think about how they might meet their own demise, a forensic pathologist has explained the most common way people kick the bucket.

That's right, we might be past Halloween and looking ahead to the more festive holiday season, but we're not through with the morbid topics just yet.

Obviously, though, death is a part of life, and so it's probably good to be in the know about common ways people die so you can be on the look out for them yourself.

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Forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd got into the field after coming across a textbook that was packed with pictures of dead bodies.

He explained that he was 'amazed' by the notion of doctors helping police and courts to establish people's causes of death.

Forensic pathologists assist in unexpected deaths.
Pexels

In an interview with UNILAD, he discussed causes of death he deals with in the profession; some of which he's seen more often than others.

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When considering the most common causes of death, Shepherd quickly came back with one cause in particular: heart disease.

"That's the thing that kills most people," he explained.

Shepherd's claim is backed by the NHS, which explains that cardiovascular disease (CVD), aka conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK.

There are many different types of CVD, but main types include coronary heart disease, when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is blocked or reduced, and strokes and transient ischaemic attack, where the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off or temporarily disrupted.

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Dr Shepherd got into the profession after coming across a textbook.
UNILAD

Also included in the main types of CVD are peripheral arterial disease, which is when there's a blockage in the arteries to the limbs, and aortic diseases, a group of conditions affecting the largest blood vessel in the body.

Following heart disease, Shepherd said the next most common cause is respiratory disease.

Respiratory diseases affect one in five people, according to the NHS, with lung cancer, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) listed as the biggest causes of death.

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The NHS also lists respiratory diseases as a common cause of death.
Ed Rooney / Alamy Stock Photo

When it comes to 'accidental deaths', the pathologist listed 'drugs, with or without road traffic accidents', and if the cause of death is murder, the most common culprit is 'stabbings', Shepherd said.

"They are the commonest cause of death, and the person most likely to stab you is a friend or relative," he explained.

Forensic pathologists assist in determining the cause of death in cases of unexpected deaths - those in which there is 'no good reason' why the patient should have died.

Featured Image Credit: LADbible TV

Topics: Health, Science

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

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