Death certificate - causes of death

[dcmbarton]

When the cause of death is recorded on the certificate, it is usually recorded in two parts, 'a' and 'b'. For example, if I had a relation whose cause of death was '1/a. Heart failure, b. Gall stones' would I be right in saying that that heart failure occured as a result of presumably problems with the gall stones, i.e. 'a' is as a result of 'b'?

David

[Peter Goodey]

When the cause of death is recorded on the certificate, it is usually recorded in two parts, 'a' and 'b'. For example, if I had a relation whose cause of death was '1/a. Heart failure, b. Gall stones' would I be right in saying that that heart failure occured as a result of presumably problems with the gall stones, i.e. 'a' is as a result of 'b'?

This is so. Section 2 if present could list contributory factors

[joette]

A is the main cause of death.
B are other conditions which may have contributed to A but in themselves MAY not have proved fatal.