KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Heart disease has remained the principal cause of death among Malaysians over the past 10 years (2005-2014), recording 13.5 per cent in 2014, based on the findings of the Statistics Department.
In a statement on ‘Statistics On Causes of Death in Malaysia’ today, the department said pneumonia recorded the second highest cause of death in the country at 12 per cent, followed by cerebrovascular disease (7.1 per cent), septicaemia (6.1 per cent) and transport accidents (5.6 per cent).
In 2014, heart disease, also known as Ischemic heart disease also ranked first for cause of death in all states except Kedah, Pahang, Sabah and Putrajaya.
The findings revealed that death due to heart disease recorded the highest percentage for males at 15.2 per cent, while pneumonia recorded the highest number of deaths among women at 13.3 per cent.
However, the ranking of the five principle causes of death for males and females in 2014, has remained unchanged from 2013.
The statement further revealed that heart disease ranked first for causes of death of all ethnic groups in 2014, with Bumiputera at 13.1 per cent, Chinese (12.7 per cent) and Indians (18.1 per cent).
In 2013, the percentage was higher for all ethnic groups, with Bumiputera recording 13.2 per cent, followed by Chinese (13 per cent) and Indians (18.5 per cent).
The findings also revealed that heart disease was the principal cause of death for the population aged between 15 and 64, at 13.8 per cent in 2014, while pneumonia recorded the highest death percentage for the population aged 65 and above, at 17.3 per cent.
The number of deaths by sex in 2014 showed 57.6 per cent males and 42.4 per cent females. — Bernama
