1 in 20 deaths in Switzerland caused by lung cancer

The Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) revealed on Tuesday that out of the 64,961 deaths recorded in 2013 in Switzerland, one third (21,512 deaths) were caused by cardiovascular diseases, 26 percent (16,675) by cancer, while 5,900 people died from dementia.

According to figures, though cardiovascular diseases remained the largest cause of mortality in the confederation, the risk of dying from a cardiovascular illness had almost halved in 18 years.

FSO also indicated that lung-cancer (representing 18 percent of cancer deaths and 5 percent of total deaths) continued to be the most prevalent form of cancer, with close to 2,000 men and over 1,200 women dying as a result of the illness in 2013.

According to statistics, 46 percent of men and 67 percent of women who contracted lung cancer were over 80 years old when they died.

Though the number dementia-linked deaths has continued to rise as the population gets older, FSO indicated that its progression has been slowing down over the last few years.

The number of accident-related deaths were almost at identical levels for men and women in 2013, as 1,312 and 1,285 deaths were reported respectively for both sexes.

Though the number of male deaths caused by accidents has remained stable since 1995, figures for female deaths show a 51 percent rise as women have become more prone to falling down, which can lead to immobilisation which increases the risk of contracting pneumonia.

Data shows that the number of suicides has remained stable since 2009, with 1,070 suicides reported in 2013, 25 percent less than in 1995.

The number of assisted suicides witnessed an increase, as 249 men and 338 women decided to end their lives this way in 2013, 79 more than a year prior.