TOP 5 DEADLIEST DISEASES

1. Coronary Artery Disease (Ischemic Heart Disease)

The deadliest disease in the world is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD, also called ischemic heart disease, occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart become narrowed. The World Health Organization(WHO) estimates that about 7.4 million people died of ischemic heart disease in 2012. That was about 13.2 percent of all deaths.

In the United States, about 600,000 people die of heart disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That makes it the deadliest disease in the U.S., as well as the world. In the U.S. the most common type of heart disease is CAD, which takes about 380,000 lives each year.

Among the risk factors are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and weight control can help lower your risk of developing CAD.

Where you live matters. Although it’s still the leading cause of death, mortality rates have declined in many European countries and in the United States. This may be due to better prevention and access to quality healthcare. However, in many developing nations, mortality rates due to CAD are on the rise.

2. Stroke

A stroke is when an artery in the brain is blocked or leaks. Oxygen-deprived brain cells begin to die within minutes.

Stroke was responsible for 6.7 million deaths around the world in 2012, according to WHO. That figure represents about 11.9 percent of all deaths. CDC figures show that nearly 130,000 people in the United States die of stroke each year — that’s one person every four minutes. About one in four strokes occur in people who have had a prior stroke. Stroke is also a leading cause of disability.

Risk factors for stroke are similar to those for CAD. In general, good health habits can lower your risks.

3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is a chronic, progressive lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are types of COPD.

About 3.1 million deaths were attributed to COPD in 2012, according to WHO. That represents about 5.6 percent of deaths, a rate that has held steady since 2000. In 2004, about 64 million people around the world were living with COPD.

The main cause of COPD is tobacco — and that means secondhand smoke, too. Another factor is air pollution, both indoors and out. COPD affects men and women at about the same rate. There’s no cure for COPD, but its progression can be slowed down with medication.

The American Lung Association estimates that in 2011, 12.7 million adults in the United States had COPD, but even more showed some sign of lung problems. There’s a great variation in the number of cases from state to state. In 2011, about 4 percent of people in Minnesota and Washington had COPD. In Alabama and Kentucky, it was more than 9 percent.

4. Lower Respiratory Infections

WHO estimates that lower respiratory infections caused about 3.1 million, or 5.5 percent of deaths in 2012. This group of diseases includes pneumonia, bronchitis, and influenza.

Flu season lasts from December through February in the Northern Hemisphere and from June through August in the Southern Hemisphere. The risk is year round in tropical regions.

According to the CDC, about 20 percent of travelers returning to the United States seek medical attention for respiratory infection following a trip. Packed cruise ships, hotels, and other close quarters increase risk of transmission and outbreaks of disease.

5. Trachea, Bronchus, and Lung Cancers

Trachea, bronchus, and lung cancer are all respiratory cancers. The main causes of this type of cancer are smoking, second-hand smoke, and environmental toxins.

WHO estimates that in 2012, 1.6 million people died from trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers. These cancers represent about 2.9 percent of all deaths globally.