Bengaluru, Jan 12: Pulmonary and heart diseases claimed 46,811 lives in Karnataka in 2014, the latest year for which statistics on various causes of deaths in the country have been compiled by the Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD), a registry under the Union home ministry.
The total number of medically certified deaths recorded in Karnataka in 2014 were 1,46,286, of which diseases of the circulatory system -pulmonary and heart diseases -accounted for 32% of the deaths.
According to the registry report, unknown symptoms accounted for second most number of fatalities with 13.2% (19,309) of the deaths.
Infections and parasitic diseases claimed 17, 408 lives (11.9%) while accident related injuries took 10,386 (7.1%) lives.
Cardiologists in Bengaluru say 80% of patients suffering with diseases of the circulatory system die of heart attacks caused by coronary artery disease - a condition where a waxy substance gets deposited in the coronary arteries and blocks smooth supply of oxygenated blood to heart muscles. "The factors leading to various circulatory system disorders depend on the age of the patient.
Coronary artery disease remains to be the leading cause of heart attacks and deaths among the middle and old-aged people. Circulatory arrest due to unstable blood pressure is the second leading cause of death. Although rare, acute tear of aorta, also known as aortic dissection at times also leads to death," said Dr Devananda NS, chairman and head of cardiac surgery department at Manipal Hospitals.
"In addition to coronary artery diseases, untreated and advanced heart failures also contribute a significant proportion of deaths. Cerebrovascular accidents such as strokes are the third major cause of death due to circulatory diseases," said Dr Krishnan PR, consultant neurologist at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road.
According to internal medicine experts, bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections contribute to a very high number of deaths in Karnataka. "Community and hospital acquired pneumonia, typhoid, tuberculosis (both lung and generalized disseminated TB), diarrhoea and mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya are infections that take most lives," says Dr Pankaj Singhai, senior consultant, internal medicine, Manipal Hospitals.
Head and chest injuries leading to pneumothorax, internal bleeding and spinal injuries are some of the common external fatal injuries that people suffer from mostly due to accidents, say city doctors. "The external injuries occur mainly due to accidents. Drunk driving and driving after drug intake, broken roads, fall from construction sites, fire accidents all contribute to this. Immediate closure of wounds is a must, otherwise they cause internal complications leading to death," said Dr Kiran Joshy , consultant dermatologist, St. Martha's Hospital.
Comments
Add new comment