Lithuania has third highest rate of preventable deaths in EU

Lithuania has the third highest level of preventable deaths in the EU according to a new Eurostat survey.

Romania had the highest number of preventable deaths in the EU forllowed by Latvia and Lithuania. The survey analyzed deaths that could have been avoided if people received appropriate treatment in time.

Lithuania had twice as many strokes and heart attacks as the EU average. Heart attacks and strokes accounted for nearly half of all of the preventable deaths among people younger than 75 years old.

“There is a lot of talk about the three main silent killers – increased cholesterol, increased blood sugar and elevated blood pressure. Patients do not feel these conditions so when the doctor offers treatment, most patients think they do are not feeling unwell and that there is no need to start taking medicine,” said Raimondas Kubilius, the head of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences rehabilitation clinic.

“In Lithuania, since independence cholesterol lowering drug consumption is the lowest in the European Union,” said Kubilius.

Kubilius said that although since independence cancer and injury rates in Lithuania are falling compared to the EU average, there are still twice as many strokes and heart attacks compared to the EU average.

balsas.tv3.lt