Natural causes

Natural causes of death

There is no single definition as to what constitutes death by natural causes. In the broadest sense, a natural cause of death occurs due to illness and its complications, or internal body malfunctions. Examples include pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, cancer, a stroke, heart disease, and sudden organ failure. Sometimes, infectious diseases are excluded from this definition. Whether a specific manner of death is considered "natural" depends on the deceased’s age, medical history, and specific context. For example, a 25-year old who suddenly dies of pneumonia is unlikely to be considered a natural cause when discussed in most contexts. However, in the case of an 80-year old patient who had experienced significant decline previously who dies of the same illness, the death is much more likely to be considered natural, even if the pneumonia is infectious, because significant decline has already occurred. Fatal heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrests, and other sudden causes of death may be separated from "natural causes", especially if they were unexpected or occurred in an otherwise healthy individual. However, chronic, life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and ALS are much more likely to be considered causes of death in their own right, rather than being considered natural. "Natural causes" is often used as a euphemism for death following a period of progressive decline in elderly people.