Heart disease, cancer become main causes of mortality in Cuba

Heart diseases are atop the list of ten non-communicable diseases that cause the highest mortality rates in Cuba, followed by cancer, according to data from the island's Health Ministry disclosed on Monday.

Cuba's Statistical Yearbook of Health 2016 reported that heart problems killed 217.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, while malignant tumours claimed 216.3, with both accounting for 49.1 percent of total deaths on the island in 2016.

Non-communicable diseases were the largest cause of death, with 731.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the document published by the National Statistics Bureau.

The Yearbook informed that 66 percent of deaths from heart diseases occur due to ischemic failures, especially acute myocardial infarction.

However, heart failures and chronic rheumatic heart disease are more customary in women.

Concerning cancer, the highest mortality rates came from malignant tracheal, bronchial and lung tumors.

For men, the second-highest death rate from cancer came from prostate tumors, as opposed to breast cancer for women.

Smoking is also included in the list of chronic non communicable diseases, with the document highlighting that over half of all Cubans are exposed to cigarette smoke.

According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases will be the main causes of disability worldwide by 2020, posing a very expensive challenge for healthcare systems in many countries. Enditem