WHO Lists Top 10 Causes Of Death Globally As Heart Disease, Stroke Lead
Ischaemic heart disease and stroke have emerged as the two leading causes of death globally, together claiming more than 16 million lives in 2023, according to the latest report by the World Health Organisation.
The WHO report revealed that ischaemic heart disease accounted for about 9.5 million deaths in 2023, representing 16 per cent of all deaths worldwide.
Ischaemic heart disease occurs when the arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the heart become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle and potentially causing serious complications, including heart attacks and death.
Stroke ranked second on the global list, causing approximately 6.8 million deaths, equivalent to 11 per cent of deaths recorded worldwide in 2023.
Global Mirror News reports that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, ranked third, with about 3.6 million deaths.
Lower respiratory infections followed in fourth position, accounting for approximately 2.7 million deaths, while Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia ranked fifth, claiming about 2.1 million lives.
The WHO said eight of the 10 leading causes of death globally in 2023 were non-communicable diseases, underlining the growing impact of chronic illnesses on populations across the World.
Non-communicable diseases accounted for 74 per cent of all deaths globally in 2023, compared with 58 per cent in 2000.
Other conditions that made the global top 10 were diabetes, cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lung, hypertensive heart disease, kidney diseases and diarrhoeal diseases.
According to the report, the 10 leading causes of death collectively accounted for about 33 million deaths in 2023, representing 54 per cent of the estimated 61 million deaths recorded globally that year.
Global Mirror News gathered that cardiovascular diseases continued to represent the largest overall cause of death and disease burden worldwide, although the WHO noted that progress had been made in reducing the burden of ischaemic heart disease in several parts of the world since 2000.
“There has been substantial progress in reducing the burden of ischaemic heart disease since 2000 in many parts of the world,” the WHO report stated.
However, the global health body warned that the progress had not been evenly shared across populations.
The report noted that increases in individual-level risks were recorded in the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, highlighting persistent inequalities in cardiovascular health.
Dementia climbs global death ranking
Another major concern highlighted by the WHO was the sharp increase in deaths associated with dementia.
Dementia rose from the 19th leading cause of death globally in 2000 to the fifth position in 2023, with deaths from the condition tripling during the period.
Global Mirror News reports that the rise has placed greater attention on the health needs of ageing populations and the growing demand for long-term care and support for people living with dementia.
The changing pattern of global deaths also shows the increasing importance of preventing, detecting and effectively managing chronic diseases before they become life-threatening.
Global life expectancy recovers
The WHO report also revealed that global life expectancy recovered to 73.3 years in 2023, approaching the 73.4 years recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, healthy life expectancy remained below its pre-pandemic level.
Healthy life expectancy stood at 62.8 years in 2023, which was 0.4 years lower than the 2019 figure.
Global Mirror News reports that the figures indicate that although people are once again living longer on average, they may still spend a considerable portion of their later years living with illness or disability.
This has renewed attention on preventive healthcare, early diagnosis, access to treatment and measures aimed at reducing the burden of chronic diseases.
COVID-19 drops out of top 10
COVID-19 also fell out of the global top 10 causes of death for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020.
The development represents a significant change from the height of the pandemic, when COVID-19 caused millions of deaths and placed unprecedented pressure on health systems around the world.
Despite the decline in its ranking, the pandemic left a lasting impact on global health, including disruptions to healthcare services and setbacks in life expectancy.
The latest WHO findings show that while infectious diseases continue to pose serious health threats, non-communicable diseases now account for an increasingly large proportion of deaths worldwide.
The report underscores the importance of preventing cardiovascular diseases, maintaining healthy lifestyles, detecting illnesses early and ensuring access to quality healthcare, particularly in communities facing persistent health inequalities.
Behind the millions contained in the statistics are families that have lost parents, spouses, children and loved ones.
Global Mirror News reports that the WHO figures therefore represent more than a global health ranking; they offer a sobering picture of the diseases claiming lives and highlight the urgent need for stronger preventive healthcare and better access to treatment worldwide.
