The World Health Organisation (WHO) says ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the leading causes of death globally in 2023, accounting for more than 16 million deaths combined.
The health agency disclosed this on Friday in its latest report on the top global causes of death.
Ischaemic heart disease, caused by narrowed or blocked arteries that reduce blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle, was responsible for about 9.5 million deaths in 2023, representing 16 percent of all deaths globally.
Stroke ranked second, causing about 6.8 million deaths, or 11 percent of global deaths, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the third leading cause, with about 3.6 million deaths.
Lower respiratory infections ranked fourth, accounting for 2.7 million deaths, followed by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which caused about 2.1 million deaths.
The WHO said eight of the 10 leading causes of death globally in 2023 were non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which accounted for 74 per cent of all deaths worldwide, compared with 58 per cent in 2000.
Other leading causes included diabetes, trachea, bronchus and lung cancers, hypertensive heart disease, kidney diseases and diarrhoeal diseases.
According to the WHO, the 10 leading causes of death collectively accounted for 33 million deaths, representing 54 per cent of the 61 million deaths recorded globally in 2023.
It said cardiovascular diseases remained the leading cause of death and disease burden worldwide.
“There has been substantial progress in reducing the burden of ischaemic heart disease since 2000 in many parts of the world,” the report said.
“However, increases in risk at an individual level were recorded in the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia Regions, highlighting persistent inequalities in cardiovascular health between populations.”
The WHO said global life expectancy recovered to 73.3 years in 2023, close to the 73.4 years recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
TOP 10
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Stroke
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Lower respiratory infections
- Alzheimer disease and other dementias
- Diabetes mellitus
- Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Kidney diseases
- Diarrhoeal diseases
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