Ischaemic heart disease top cause of death: WHO

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 17

Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in India closely followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and strokes.

Data compiled by WHO for its World Health Statistics Report 2017 released globally today says in India’s Country Profile that Ischaemic heart disease was responsible for 1,215.4 thousand deaths (around 12 lakh) constituting 12.4 per cent of all deaths in the country followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which led to 10.8 per cent of all deaths totalling 1,061.9 thousand (around 10 lakh).

The third largest cause of death recorded in India is strokes responsible for 9 per cent of all mortality which comes to 881.7 thousand people, according to the Indian health profile in the latest World Health Statistics Report.

Diarrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory tract infections and pre term complications are the other leading mortality factors in Indian context and claim as many as (in thousands) 586.6, 481,5 and 380.9 deaths making up respectively 6, 4.9 and 3.9 per cent of the total death burden.

TB which was once a leading mortality cause in India is now the seventh largest reason for deaths among Indians and caused 269.9 thousand deaths in a year, as per the latest global health data.

Self-harm which included all ranges of suicides led to the death of 258.1 thousand people in one year making up 2.6 pc of annual Indian deaths. Falls alone claimed 254.2 thousand lives in the country representing 2.6 pc of the mortality.

The tenth largest cause of death in India is road injuries which led to 233.1 thousand deaths making up 2.4 pc of all mortality burden in the country.