For the first time in history, there are now more cancer related deaths than cardiovascular disease, figures from the Cause of Death Register.
The figures were presented at a conference in Oslo on Friday, Dagbladet writes.
“This is the most important thing in Norwegian cardiac medicine and sensational news for public health,” says cardiac specialist Steinar Madsen. For many years, cardiovascular disease has been the disease group that has led to most deaths, but in 2016 it changed.
The limit of when people with high cholesterol should get treatment has been lowered. At the same time, changes in Norwegians’ lifestyle have contributed to a systematic decline.
“We have gone from being a high risk country for cardiovascular disease to low a risk country. This is due to cuts in smoking, improved treatment of blood pressure and high cholesterol and following health authorities’ recommendations to follow the Mediterranean diet,” he says.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
