Top 10 Causes of Mortality in India

Top 10 Causes of Mortality in India

India's healthcare landscape is marked by a myriad of challenges?

India grapples with a plethora of health adversities and ailments, stemming from factors such as population density, poverty, inadequate sanitation, and limited healthcare accessibility. Infectious maladies like tuberculosis, malaria, and diarrheal diseases persist, alongside non-communicable conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, and respiratory disorders. Here, we delineate the ten foremost causes of mortality in India.

1. Ischemic Heart Disease?
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) ranks atop the list of mortalities in India, mirroring the considerable burden of cardiovascular afflictions nationwide. Urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, tobacco consumption, unhealthy dietary habits, and escalating stress levels collectively contribute to the elevated prevalence of IHD. Typical symptoms encompass chest discomfort or pain (angina), often described as pressure, squeezing, or fullness in the chest. Additional manifestations entail shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, and discomfort or pain in the neck, jaw, throat, back, or arms. Symptom severity and duration may vary.

2. Stroke
Stroke emerges as another prominent cause of death in India. Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes contribute to this alarming statistic, underscoring the imperative for comprehensive stroke prevention and management initiatives. Stroke symptoms encompass sudden numbness or weakness, particularly affecting one side of the face, arm, or leg, abrupt confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, sudden visual impairment, sudden gait disturbances, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and severe unexplained headaches.

3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?
COPD remains a significant public health challenge in India, predominantly attributable to widespread smoking, indoor and outdoor air pollution, and the utilization of biomass fuels for cooking. Symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) comprise persistent cough, often accompanied by sputum production, exertional dyspnea, wheezing, chest tightness, and recurrent respiratory infections. As COPD advances, symptoms may exacerbate, precipitating fatigue, weight loss, and diminished functional capacity.

4. Lower Respiratory Infections?
Lower respiratory infections, inclusive of pneumonia and bronchitis, constitute a substantial cause of mortality, particularly among children below five years of age and elderly individuals. Inadequate vaccination coverage, indoor air pollution, overcrowded living conditions, and malnutrition exacerbate the burden of lower respiratory infections.

5. Diarrheal Diseases?
Despite notable strides in mitigating diarrheal diseases, they persist as a principal cause of mortality, particularly among children in India. Inadequate sanitation, limited access to potable water, poor food hygiene practices, and deficient healthcare infrastructure contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with diarrheal ailments.

6. Tuberculosis (TB)?
India grapples with a significant burden of tuberculosis, driven by factors such as poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and drug resistance. Tuberculosis (TB) presents with an array of symptoms including persistent cough, often accompanied by sputum or hemoptysis, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and nocturnal sweats. Progressive disease may manifest as dyspnea and prolonged illness. Early detection and intervention are pivotal in averting complications and interrupting TB transmission.

7. Diabetes Mellitus?
The escalating prevalence of diabetes mellitus poses a formidable health challenge in India, propelled by urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy dietary patterns, and genetic predisposition. Diabetes manifests with symptoms such as polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, and delayed wound healing. While type 1 diabetes symptoms may develop abruptly, those of type 2 diabetes often evolve gradually. Timely diagnosis via blood tests is imperative for diabetes management and complication prevention.

8. Neonatal Disorders?
Neonatal disorders, encompassing complications of preterm birth, birth asphyxia, and neonatal sepsis, substantially contribute to infant mortality rates in India.

9. Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) emerges as a burgeoning public health concern in India, fueled by escalating rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and inadequate healthcare access. Often insidious in onset, CKD manifests with symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, peripheral edema, cognitive impairment, anorexia, and pruritus. With disease progression, symptoms may escalate, precipitating hypertension, electrolyte imbalances, and fluid retention.

10. Liver Diseases?
Liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, account for a considerable proportion of deaths in India. Alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis infections, obesity, and metabolic syndrome constitute prominent drivers of the escalating prevalence of liver ailments.