Ischaemic heart disease and stroke remained the two biggest causes of death worldwide in 2023, together accounting for more than 16 million deaths, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The figures were contained in the WHO’s latest report on the leading causes of death globally, which provides an overview of the diseases and conditions responsible for millions of deaths around the world.
Ischaemic heart disease topped the list, claiming about 9.5 million lives in 2023. The disease occurs when arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the heart become narrowed or blocked.
The WHO said the condition accounted for approximately 16 percent of all deaths recorded globally that year.
Stroke was the second leading cause, responsible for about 6.8 million deaths, representing 11 percent of deaths worldwide.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranked third, causing approximately 3.6 million deaths.
Lower respiratory infections followed in fourth place, with about 2.7 million deaths, while Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia accounted for approximately 2.1 million deaths.
Non-Communicable Diseases Dominate
The WHO reported that eight of the world’s 10 leading causes of death in 2023 were non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
NCDs accounted for about 74 percent of all deaths globally, compared with 58 percent in 2000, highlighting the growing share of deaths linked to chronic diseases.
Other conditions appearing among the leading causes of death were diabetes mellitus, cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lung, hypertensive heart disease, kidney diseases and diarrhoeal diseases.
Together, the 10 leading causes accounted for approximately 33 million deaths in 2023.
That figure represented 54 percent of the estimated 61 million deaths recorded globally during the year.
The WHO said cardiovascular diseases continued to represent the world’s leading cause of death and disease burden.
“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, the agency noted that some regions continued to experience rising individual risk, pointing to differences in cardiovascular health between populations.
“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,” it added.
Global Life Expectancy Recovers
The report also highlighted a recovery in global life expectancy following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the WHO, average global life expectancy rose to 73.3 years in 2023.
That was close to the 73.4-year figure recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO’s Top 10 Causes of Death in 2023
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Stroke
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Lower respiratory infections
- Alzheimer disease and other dementias
- Diabetes mellitus
- Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Kidney diseases
- Diarrhoeal diseases
Source: WHO.
