Syncope listed as Cause of Death

[Skoosh]

Syncope can be brought on with a bout of sneezing, particularly dangerous when driving a car.

Skoosh.

[River Tyne Lass]

I am glad you have posted asking these question as I have recently got a death cert for a paternal Grt Grandmother.  Cause of death was

1) Syncope (with the second cause as bowel cancer).

[AntonyMMM]

As Stan points out, Syncope was often used historically but is now one of the things listed as "modes of dying" which are no longer acceptable as a cause of death, because they describe how someone died rather than why. They can still appear but must be supported by an acceptable cause.

Other modes of dying that are listed in the manuals as not acceptable would include things like "cardiac arrest" "coma" "asphyxia" and many others.

If the doctor does give a cause of the death that is unacceptable (and they quite often do), then the registrar may have to negotiate with the doctor for amended paperwork to be issued before the registration could be done or refer it to the coroner for them to sort out.

My favourite response when I spoke to a GP and asked for a clearer cause of death was "well I've absolutely no idea really, could have been half a dozen things, what shall I put down ?"

[brigidmac]

A friend of mine recently died in a canal

At the inquest
vaso vago syncope was discussed as a possible contributing factor .

I was diagnosed with this recently and it was explained to me as a tendency to faint have to keep salt levels and hydration.levels up

Fainting during or before fall in canal meant drowning could not be ruled as Cause of death for him

[ThrelfallYorky]

Really interesting. (One does learn a great deal on here)
TY

[YB2019]

Really interesting. (One does learn a great deal on here)
TY

Couldn't agree more! Very interesting and enlightening as always. Thanks everyone 

[stanmapstone]

From https://geekymedics.com/certification-death-uk-osce-guide/
Completing the death certificate.
A few things that you CAN NOT write as a disease or condition that led directly to death:
“Failures” as a sole 1a (e.g. heart/kidney/liver/respiratory failure). However, it is ok to use congestive cardiac failure.
Asphyxia
Asthenia
Cachexia
Cardiac arrest
Coma
Exhaustion
Old age/frailty as a sole cause of death: this can only be used in patients who are over 80 years old.
(While there is no statutory age limit or restriction on referring to ‘old age’, a death certified as due to old age or senility alone will usually be referred to the coroner, unless the deceased was 80 or older)
Stan

[AntonyMMM]

The guidance on Old Age (alone) as a single cause of death does have other suggested conditions attached (in addition to being over 80)  and does say  it should only be used in "very limited" circumstances.

In practice it is used quite often....

Interestingly the rules on causes of death don't apply to coroners  - they do tend to follow them, but don't have to and can put just about anything they decide.