Heart diseases biggest killer worldwide: Report

Heart disease and stroke were the No. 1 and No. 2 killers worldwide in 2013, shows a new report.

While 31 per cent of all deaths were from cardiovascular disease, with 80 per cent occurring in low- and middle-income countries as of 2013, stroke accounted for 11.8 per cent of all deaths, according to American Heart Association’s 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update. “Statistics about cardiovascular disease and stroke, and particularly the metrics about death and the factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease are incredibly important,” said Mark Creager, president, American Heart Association (AHA).



The study found that one of every three deaths in the US in 2013 were from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease is not only the top killer in the US, but worldwide, David Siscovick, senior vice-president for research at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City. Hypertension, obesity and diabetes are global epidemics, he said.

The update now tracks health factors and behaviours known to contribute to good cardiovascular health. These habits include smoking status, physical activity, healthy diet, body weight, and control of cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.

“We need to maintain our vigour and resolve in promoting good cardiovascular health through lifestyle and recognition and treatment of risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking,” Creager said. “We have made progress in the fight against cardiovascular disease, but the battle is not won,” Creager noted. The findings appeared in the journal Circulation.