Diseases of the circulatory system cause the most deaths in Iceland according to new data published by Statistics Iceland yesterday. In 2009, 2,002 people passed away in Iceland, 729 of whom died due to ischemic heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases.
The second most common cause of death is cancer, of which 562 people died in 2009. Most of these people, 133, died from lung cancer, as stated on the website of Statistics Iceland.
Last year, 175 people died of diseases of the respiratory system. Most of these people lost their lives to chronic lower respiratory diseases.
External factors caused the deaths of 188 people in 2009, 65 of whom were killed in accidents; ten thereof were traffic-related. Thirty-six individuals, 29 men and seven women, committed suicide last year, which is a similar rate as in previous years.
Statistics Iceland’s report states that 140 people died of “avoidable causes” in 2009, with “avoidable” defined as “important causes of death that can be avoided by changing lifestyles or health policies.”
Click here to read these statistics in further detail.
