The Top 30 worldwide causes of death in 2002.
As of 2004, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world accounting for over 15% of all deaths. When all forms of cancer are combined it is the second leading cause of mortality accounting for around 10% of all deaths.
The top causes of death vary dramatically between the developed world and the developing world. HIV & AIDS accounts for the most deaths in the developing world follwed by lower respiratory infections such as penumonia and bronchitis. Combined, these two diseases account for around a third of all deaths in the developing world but less than 5% of all deaths in the western world.
In the developed world, cardiovascular diseases and cancer make up more than two-thirds of all deaths compared to less than a third of all deaths in developing countries.
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Diseases (Rheumatic, Ischaemic, Hypertensive & Inflammatory) | 8,850,000 | 15.5% |
| Cerebrovascular Disease (e.g. Strokes) | 5,510,000 | 9.7% |
| Respiratory Infections (e.g. Pneumonia) | 3,963,000 | 6.9% |
| HIV / AIDS | 2,777,000 | 4.9% |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) | 2,748,000 | 4.8% |
| Perinatal Conditions | 2,462,000 | 4.3% |
| Diarrhoeal Diseases | 1,798,000 | 3.2% |
| Tuberculosis | 1,566,000 | 2.7% |
| Malaria | 1,272,000 | 2.2% |
| Tracheal, Bronchial, and Lung Cancer | 1,243,000 | 2.2% |
| Road Traffic Accidents | 1,192,000 | 2.1% |
| Diabetes | 988,000 | 2.1% |
| Self-Inflicted | 873,000 | 1.5% |
| Stomach Cancers | 850,000 | 1.5% |
| Cirrhosis of the Liver | 786,000 | 1.4% |
| Violence and War | 731,000 | 1.3% |
| Nephritis & Nephrosis (Inflammatory & Non-inflammatory Kidney Diseases) | 677,000 | 1.2% |
| Colon & Rectal Cancers | 622,000 | 1.1% |
| Liver Cancers | 618,000 | 1.1% |
| Measles | 611,000 | 1.1% |
| Maternal Conditions | 510,000 | 0.9% |
| Congenital Abnormalities | 493,000 | 0.9% |
| Nutritional Deficiencies | 485,000 | 0.9% |
| Breast Cancers | 477,000 | 0.8% |
| Oesophagal Cancers | 446,000 | 0.8% |
| Alzheimer's and other Dementias | 397,000 | 0.7% |
| Falls | 392,000 | 0.7% |
| Drownings | 382,000 | 0.7% |
| Poisoning | 350,000 | 0.6% |
| Lymphomas | 334,000 | 0.6% |
Source: World Health Organization, 2004. "The world health report 2004 - changing history, Annex Table 2: Deaths by cause, sex and mortality stratum in WHO regions, estimates for 2002".