Cardiovascular diseases biggest killer in Switzerland in 2014: report

A Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) report revealed Thursday that 33 percent of all the confederation's deaths in 2014 were caused by cardiovascular diseases, resulting in 20,972 fatalities in the period under review.

With 16,765 deaths, cancer-related illnesses accounted for 26 percent of all fatalities, while 5,759 people died from dementia as the underlying disease, FSO indicated.

With 60 percent of the 63,938 people who passed away in 2014 aged 80 or above, figures show that the average age at death is continuing to rise in Switzerland for both males and females.

In the reviewed period, half all of all men who died were aged over 79 while half of all women were at least 85 years old when they passed away.

Figures from 1969 show that the median was 70 for men and 75 for their female counterparts.

FSO also indicated 1,028 suicides were reported, while the number of assisted suicides stood at 742.

The increase in the number of people who seek assistance to end their lives, especially in the over 65 age group, is a direct consequence of Switzerland's ageing population, FSO explained. Endit