Summary Adverse effects of medical treatment were responsible for 106 000 deaths (95% UI 89 100–117 000) in 2019. The age-standardised mortality rate decreased from 1·5 per 100 000 (1·3–1·7) in 2010 to 1·4 per 100 000 (1·1–1·5) in 2019.

Definition Death or short-term or long-term disability sustained as the result of undergoing a procedure, treatment, or other exposure to the health-care system. This exposure can occur in inpatient admission, outpatient facilities, emergency care, or during home treatment.

Total sources
Incidence 294
Prevalence 0
Remission 0
Causes of death 3470
Other 0
Table 1: Total sources used in GBD 2019 estimation
What is new in GBD 2019?
  • •Age-specific ratios between outpatient and inpatient adverse effects of medical treatment were modelled in MR-BRT, providing more specific adjustments for outpatient cases relative to inpatient admissions. This process incorporated an age pattern into this coefficient, leading to elderly patients having fewer outpatient visits from adverse effects of medical treatment relative to inpatient admissions.
  • •For non-fatal estimation, Botswana, Georgia, Sweden, Mexico, India, Ecuador, and New Zealand inpatient data were added.
Prevalence
Incidence
Deaths
YLLs
YLDs
DALYs
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Deaths
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLLs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLDs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
DALYs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
2019
Both Sexes
1·37
(1·04
to 1·76)
17·8
(13·4
to 22·9)
18·0
(15·0
to 21·3)
233·3
(193·6
to 277·6)
0·106
(0·0891
to 0·117)
1·4
(1·1
to 1·5)
3·66
(2·99
to 4·17)
48·1
(39·3
to 55·4)
0·183
(0·115
to 0·273)
2·4
(1·5
to 3·5)
3·84
(3·18
to 4·36)
50·4
(41·6
to 57·7)
Females
0·712
(0·546
to 0·910)
18·1
(13·6
to 23·1)
9·33
(7·76
to 11·0)
236·7
(196·2
to 281·1)
0·0554
(0·0434
to 0·0636)
1·3
(1·0
to 1·5)
1·87
(1·44
to 2·21)
48·7
(36·9
to 57·9)
0·0949
(0·0600
to 0·141)
2·4
(1·5
to 3·6)
1·97
(1·53
to 2·29)
51·1
(39·4
to 60·0)
Males
0·661
(0·499
to 0·850)
17·6
(13·3
to 22·6)
8·66
(7·18
to 10·3)
231·1
(192·1
to 276·6)
0·0503
(0·0404
to 0·0579)
1·4
(1·1
to 1·6)
1·78
(1·40
to 2·11)
47·7
(37·0
to 56·5)
0·0881
(0·0556
to 0·131)
2·4
(1·5
to 3·5)
1·87
(1·49
to 2·19)
50·0
(39·6
to 58·6)
Percentage change 2010-19
Both Sexes
17·4%
(14·0
to 21·0)
1·3%
(–2·4
to 4·7)
17·4%
(14·0
to 20·9)
1·3%
(–2·3
to 4·7)
7·9%
(–1·5
to 17·3)
–11·8%
(–19·2
to –4·1)
–5·0%
(–12·5
to 3·5)
–16·2%
(–22·7
to –8·4)
17·4%
(14·0
to 21·0)
1·3%
(–2·4
to 4·7)
–4·2%
(–11·4
to 4·2)
–15·5%
(–21·8
to –8·1)
Females
15·4%
(11·7
to 19·0)
0·1%
(–3·6
to 3·7)
15·3%
(11·7
to 18·9)
0·1%
(–3·6
to 3·6)
9·3%
(–2·6
to 21·8)
–10·9%
(–20·3
to –0·9)
–4·4%
(–13·9
to 6·7)
–15·9%
(–24·1
to –6·4)
15·3%
(11·7
to 19·0)
0·1%
(–3·6
to 3·7)
–3·6%
(–12·7
to 7·1)
–15·2%
(–23·0
to –6·3)
Males
19·6%
(16·1
to 23·5)
2·6%
(–1·1
to 6·0)
19·6%
(16·1
to 23·5)
2·5%
(–1·1
to 5·9)
6·3%
(–3·3
to 17·5)
–12·7%
(–20·5
to –3·6)
–5·7%
(–13·9
to 4·1)
–16·5%
(–24·1
to –8·2)
19·6%
(16·1
to 23·5)
2·6%
(–1·1
to 6·0)
–4·8%
(–13·1
to 4·8)
–15·8%
(–23·1
to –7·7)
Numbers in parentheses are 95% uncertainty intervals.
Table 2: Global prevalence, incidence, deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in counts and age-standardised rates for both sexes combined, females, and males, 2019, with percentage change between 2010 and 2019
Deaths YLLs YLDs DALYs
1990 64th 59th 124th 82nd
2010 69th 68th 125th 94th
2019 70th 68th 124th 97th
Table 3: Rank among Level 3 causes for global deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in 1990, 2010, and 2019, for both sexes combined
Figure 1: Composition of DALYs by YLLs and YLDs for both sexes combined, 2019
No Legend
Figure 2: Age-standardised DALY rates for each location by SDI, both sexes combined, 2019
Figure 3: Composition of DALYs by YLLs and YLDs, age group, and sex, 2019
No Legend
Figure 4: Age-standardised DALY rates (per 100 000) by location, both sexes combined, 2019