DEATH CERTIFICATE
Dr. Asmit Pokharel
Introduction
• It is a legal document issued certifying the death of an individual.
• For the purpose to officially record, document the cause, location and
time of death.
Sample provided by Nepal Medical
Council
Sample of Nepal Medical College
Immediate Cause of death(1a)
- It is a disease or condition directly leading to death.
- Not mode of dying e.g. cardiac arrest.
- It means the disease, injury or complication that caused death.
- Avoid vague terms such as Respiratory distress/ cardiac arrest/
cardiovascular events/ chest infections.
Few examples:
• Small cell carcinoma of the main right bronchus and not ̶
L̶u̶n̶g̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶c̶e̶r̶
• Inferior Myocardial Infarction and not
̶c̶o̶r̶o̶n̶a̶r̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶m̶b̶u̶s̶/̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶i̶a̶c̶ ̶a̶r̶r̶e̶s̶t̶/̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶i̶o̶v̶a̶s̶c̶u̶l̶a̶r̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶/̶ ̶a̶c̶u̶t̶e̶
̶c̶o̶r̶o̶n̶a̶r̶y̶ ̶s̶y̶n̶d̶r̶o̶m̶e̶
• Pneumonia of the left lower lobe and not
̶l̶u̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶n̶f̶e̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶/̶ ̶r̶e̶s̶p̶i̶r̶a̶t̶o̶r̶y̶ ̶f̶a̶i̶l̶u̶r̶e̶
Underlying cause (1b)
• Cause that lead to the immediate cause (1a) with respect to time,
etiological or pathological relationship.
• Eg 1a 1b
Extradural Hemorrhage Road Traffic Accident
Sepsis Duodenal Perforation
Pneumonia Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease
Contributory Cause (2a)
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
