Heart attacks, strokes the main killers of Greeks

Cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases causing strokes, along with neoplasms and the coronavirus, were the major killers in Greece in 2021, while violent deaths also skyrocketed according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority.

More specifically, the total number of deaths amounted to 143,904 (73,410 men and 70,494 women), showing an increase of 9.8% compared to 131,025 deaths (66,162 men and 64,863 women) in 2020.

The main causes of death in 2021 were diseases of the circulatory system with 46,607 deaths (cardiac 32,749 and stroke 12,437). Deaths from neoplasms reached 30,675 while respiratory diseases caused 13,078.

Deaths from Covid-19 were higher than ones due to respiratory disease, reaching 16,343. However, as stated in the death certificates, 59.5% (9,716 deaths) of them had an underlying disease. The number of violent deaths reached 5,066, and included suicides, homicides, falls, accidents etc.