Health conditions causing the largest number of deaths in Italy 2020

In Italy, approximately 746.3 thousand deaths were registered in 2020. According to the data, ischemic heart diseases were the most common cause of death in the country after COVID-19, with 63,952 cases registered. Cerebrovascular diseases, and cancers of the trachea, bronchi, and lungs, followed.

COVID-19 death comorbidities

Most patients admitted to the hospital and later deceased with the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection showed one or more comorbidities. Hypertension was the most common pre-existing health condition, detected in 65.8 percent of patients who died after contracting the virus. Type 2-diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation were also among the most common comorbidities in COVID-19 patients who lost their lives.

Cancer deaths

The number of people who died from a tumor in Italy decreased constantly between 2006 and 2020. Indeed, the rate of deaths due to cancer among Italians dropped from 28.7 deaths per 10,000 inhabitants in 2006 to 23.9 in 2020. The Italian region with the highest cancer mortality rate was Campania, followed by Sardinia, and Sicily.