The primary medical cause of death is described as the disease or injury, which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly or indirectly to death.

The contributing cause or condition is not the primary cause of death but contributes to the death being earlier than otherwise expected. Here causation is relevant e.g. diabetes mellitus, coronary arteriosclerosis.

Predisposing or underlying conditions or causes may lead to a particular event. They may be closely related to the contributing cause or condition and often cannot be distinguished from it. Alcohol and barbiturate (sleep inducing drugs) ingestion, epileptic fits and psychological conditions are examples of predisposing or underlying conditions which may cause an accident in which the subject is injured. Even if these conditions cannot be determ ined at a post mortem examination they must be borne in mind.

These are conditions which causes something to happen immediately or cause the immediate development of a particular illness.

The terminal cause of death is usually the result of a complication which occurs . A person with a head injury (the primary medical cause) often develops bronchopneumonia (the terminal cause).

The exclusive or sole cause of death is a cause where no contributing or other factors play a role. This cause is the primary medical cause of death where, for instance, a person receives a stab wound into the aorta and dies. In this case there can be no doubt as to the cause of death.