Ischemic heart disease remains number 1 killer in Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 31 (Bernama) - Ischemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death among Malaysians with the total number of deaths standing at 13,503 or 13.9 per cent last year.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the report on the 2018 Statistics on the Causes of Death in Malaysia, showed that the number had increased by 0.7 per cent compared to 2016.

“Ischemic heart disease is the main cause of death in 70 districts and the highest percentage has been recorded in Alor Gajah, Melaka at 19.8 per cent,” he said.

He said pneumonia was identified as the second highest cause of death at 12.7 per cent followed by cerebrovascular disease or stroke (7.1 per cent), road accidents (4.6 per cent) and malignant neoplasm (cancerous tumours) on the trachea, bronchus and lungs  (2.2 per cent).

“Pneumonia is the main cause of death in 64 districts with the highest percentage recorded in Kota Setar, Kedah at 21.9 per cent,” he said.

Mohd Uzir said the main cause of death for men was heart disease with 9,496 deaths or 16.0 per cent, while for women it was pneumonia with 5,371 (14.1 per cent).

He said that the 2018 Vital Statistics Malaysia report showed that 508,685 live births were recorded in 2017 with 262,575 (51.6 per cent) males and 246,110 (48.4 per cent) being females. This was an increase of 0.1 per cent compared to the previous year.

Mohd Uzir said the Kuala Terengganu district recorded the highest gross birth rate in 2017 at 26.4 for every 1,000 residents followed by Marang (26) and Julau in Sarawak (24.7).

He said the Kinabatangan district of Sabah had the lowest birth rate at 4.5 for every 1,000 residents followed by Putatan, Sabah (5.6) and Pakan, Sarawak (6.4).

Mohd Uzir said fertility rates in Malaysia remained at 1.9 children per woman aged 15-49 in 2017 compared to 2016.

Meanwhile,168,168 deaths were recorded in 2017 and of this figure, 96,522 (57.4 per cent) were males and 71,646 (42.6 per cent) were females, he said.

Mohd Uzir said for every 1,000 residents, mortality rates also rose from 5.1 in 2016 to 5.3 in 2017.

The  Kanowit district in Sarawak recorded the highest mortality rate in 2017 which was 9.1 for every 1,000 residents followed by Sabak Bernam, Selangor (8.8) and Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan (8.7).

-- BERNAMA