Heart disease, stroke top list of leading causes of death globally
Of the estimated 55 million people who died worldwide in 2011, two-thirds of all deaths globally were due to noncommunicable diseases (NCD), according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
This is up 60 percent from 2000s numbers.
Cardiovascular diseases top all the causes of death killing nearly 17 million people in 2011, approximately 30 percent of all deaths. Of these, 7 million people died of ischaemic heart disease and 6.2 million from stroke.
Following ischaemic heart disease and stroke is lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive lung disease, diarrhea and HIV/AIDS, Lung cancers, diabetes, road injury and prematurity.
Concerning the differences in cause of death based on whether its a rich or poor country, the WHO says, in high-income countries, 7 in every 10 deaths are among people aged 70 years and older. People predominantly die of chronic diseases: cardiovascular diseases, cancers, dementia , chronic obstructive lung disease or diabetes. Lower respiratory infections remain the only leading infectious cause of death. Only 1 in every 100 deaths are among children under 15 years.
In low-income countries, nearly 4 in every 10 deaths are among children under 15 years, and only 2 in every 10 deaths are among people aged 70 years and older. People predominantly die of infectious diseases: lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrhea diseases, malaria and tuberculosis collectively account for almost one third of all deaths in these countries. Complications of childbirth due to prematurity, and birth asphyxia and birth trauma are among the leading causes of death, claiming the lives of many newborns and infants.
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