Heart diseases dominate the structure of deaths in Albania much more than in the countries of the European Union. Comparative data from INSTAT and Eurostat show that 52.9% of deaths in Albania are related to diseases of the circulatory system, while in the European Union this category accounts for 32.8% of total deaths. The difference is significant and shows that Albanians lose their lives to heart diseases at a rate almost twice as high as the European average.
In Europe, in addition to heart disease, tumors also have a large share in deaths, accounting for 23.9% of deaths, while in Albania this category accounts for 15.3% of the total. Respiratory diseases also have a significantly greater share in the EU, with 7.8% of deaths, while in Albania they account for only 2%.
Large differences also appear in other disease categories. Digestive diseases account for 4.4% of deaths in the EU, while in Albania only 0.8%. Mental diseases account for 4.3% of deaths in Europe, compared to 0.5% in Albania, while diseases of the nervous system account for 4.3% in the EU and only 1.5% in the country. Likewise, endocrine and nutritional diseases account for 3.5% of deaths in the European Union, while in Albania only 0.9%. The latest data show that cases of cardiac problems are also increasing in the hospital system. For the period January-August 2025, 7543 patients were treated in cardiology departments, up from 6419 patients a year earlier, an increase of 17.5%.
Mental health problems have also increased. In the same period, 1,129 patients were treated in psychiatric hospitals, or 36% more than a year earlier. Health experts attribute this trend to a combination of lifestyle factors. Air pollution, lack of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition and daily stress are considered among the main reasons that are increasing cardiac and neurological symptoms in the population.
Albania is also ranked among the countries with the highest levels of obesity, which is another risk factor for heart disease and mortality. According to Eurostat, 56.5% of Albanians over 16 years old are considered overweight, ranking in the risk zone. Albanian women seem to be much more careful than men. According to Eurostat, 62.3% of Albanian men over 16 years old are considered overweight, among the highest in Europe. Half of Albanian women (50.9%) are considered overweight, according to Eurostat data.