According to public data from 2021, diabetes directly causes about 2 million deaths each year, accounting for 3% to 4% of total global deaths. Globally, this figure alone is not enough to cause panic. However, this data only counts direct causes of death. When diabetes-related complications (such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, renal failure, infections, etc.) are included, the actual associated mortality rate may reach 10%–20%. Some believe the figure is 12%, second only to heart disease and cancer.
In other words, the number of people who die directly from diabetes is not high, because it is a chronic disease. The overall mortality rate rises mainly due to severe complications in advanced stages of diabetes.
Complications in diabetic patients include cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, and infections. Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most common acute complication of diabetes and has a relatively high fatality rate.
Diabetic patients have a 2–3 times higher risk of death from cardiovascular diseases than non-diabetics. End-stage renal disease and severe infections (such as sepsis caused by diabetic foot) are also major causes of death.