Final answer:
The cause of death is the event or disease that directly leads to death (e.g., myocardial infarction), while the mechanism of death is the specific physiological process that causes the body to stop functioning (e.g., cardiac arrest). Myocardial infarction is an example where the blockage of blood flow is the cause, and the failure of the heart to pump is the mechanism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cause of death refers to the specific disease, injury, or condition that leads to death. For example, a person might die from myocardial infarction or cancer. On the other hand, the mechanism of death is the physiological or biochemical process that results in death, such as cardiac arrest in the case of myocardial infarction or organ failure in the case of cancer.
Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, illustrates this distinction. It is usually caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen to a region of the heart as a result of a blockage in the coronary arteries. The mechanism of death in myocardial infarction can be acute systolic heart failure; that is, the heart can't pump blood effectively due to the damage to its muscle, leading to death.
In regard to strokes, which are a leading cause of death, the cause can be an obstruction in blood flow or hemorrhage, and the mechanism is often neuronal death due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. Different diseases can initiate cell death via various pathways, which drugs often target to treat the disease.