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Heart Disease Emerges as Leading Cause of Death Worldwide
(MENAFN) A recent study published in The Lancet reveals that heart disease and other longstanding health conditions have reclaimed their status as the leading causes of death worldwide, overtaking COVID-19 after its peak in 2021.
According to the report, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ranked highest among fatalities in 2023, while COVID-19 plummeted to 20th place within just two years. Infectious diseases like measles and tuberculosis have seen a decline in death rates, even as chronic non-communicable illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and drug use disorders continue to rise.
Researchers emphasized the persistent threat posed by these gradual, yet deadly, health challenges, noting that “while these slow-moving health threats may receive less attention than global crises, their impact on public health and well-being is still substantial.”
The study also spotlighted troubling trends in North America, where suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related diseases are increasingly claiming the lives of young adults. Gender disparities were observed in causes of death, with men disproportionately affected by conflict and terrorism in specific regions.
Life expectancy has improved globally, climbing from an average of 46.8 years in 1990 to 63.4 years in 2023, with women outliving men. High-income areas reported the highest longevity, with women living up to 80.9 years and men 74.8 years, contrasted sharply by sub-Saharan Africa’s figures of 38.0 years for women and 35.6 years for men.
“There is an ever-present need for strengthened health-care systems that are resilient to future pandemics and the shifting burden of disease, particularly among ageing populations in regions with high mortality rates,” the report stressed.
The authors underscored the growing importance of precise mortality data in shaping effective health policies and promoting global health equity. “The need for global collaboration to reduce preventable mortality is more important than ever, as shifting burdens of disease are affecting all nations, albeit at different paces and scales,” the study concluded.
According to the report, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ranked highest among fatalities in 2023, while COVID-19 plummeted to 20th place within just two years. Infectious diseases like measles and tuberculosis have seen a decline in death rates, even as chronic non-communicable illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and drug use disorders continue to rise.
Researchers emphasized the persistent threat posed by these gradual, yet deadly, health challenges, noting that “while these slow-moving health threats may receive less attention than global crises, their impact on public health and well-being is still substantial.”
The study also spotlighted troubling trends in North America, where suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related diseases are increasingly claiming the lives of young adults. Gender disparities were observed in causes of death, with men disproportionately affected by conflict and terrorism in specific regions.
Life expectancy has improved globally, climbing from an average of 46.8 years in 1990 to 63.4 years in 2023, with women outliving men. High-income areas reported the highest longevity, with women living up to 80.9 years and men 74.8 years, contrasted sharply by sub-Saharan Africa’s figures of 38.0 years for women and 35.6 years for men.
“There is an ever-present need for strengthened health-care systems that are resilient to future pandemics and the shifting burden of disease, particularly among ageing populations in regions with high mortality rates,” the report stressed.
The authors underscored the growing importance of precise mortality data in shaping effective health policies and promoting global health equity. “The need for global collaboration to reduce preventable mortality is more important than ever, as shifting burdens of disease are affecting all nations, albeit at different paces and scales,” the study concluded.
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