Top 10 Causes of Death in the U.S.

The more you know about the leading causes of death, the more you can do to prevent them.

People in the U.S. can, on average, expect to live about 77.0 years — a decrease of 1.8 years from 2019.

That was the result of research conducted on deaths that occurred in 2020 — the most recent year for which the U.S. has complete data.

• More than 3.3 million people died in 2020, which is more than 500,000 more deaths than the previous year.
• The leading cause of death in 2020 washeart disease, followed bycancer, which are the same top two causes of death as the previous year.
• COVID-19was added to the list as an official cause of death in 2020 and became the third leading cause of death.
• Age-adjusted death rates increased in 2020 from 2019 for all race-ethnicity-sex groups. The numbers increased as follows:
  • 42.7% for Hispanic males,
  • 32.4% for Hispanic females,
  • 28.0% for non-Hispanic Black males,
  • 24.9% for non-Hispanic Black females,
  • 13.4% for non-Hispanic White males, and
  • 12.1% for non-Hispanic White females.
• 你知道这些条件,他们就越多danger, the more you can play a role in preventing them from happening to you or someone you care about.

Percent of total deaths: 20.6%

心diseaseis a leading cause of death for men and women of most ethnicities. The buildup of plaque in arteries causes the most common form ofheart disease, which iscoronary artery diseaseorCAD．斑块狭窄动脉- tha肌管t carry blood to theheart— making it harder for blood to flow.

About 20.1 million adults age 20 and older haveCAD(about 7.2%), which killed 382,820 people in 2020. Most people don’t know they have it until they have aheart attack．

Tips for preventing heart disease and heart attack

• Eat healthy,exercise, andquit smoking．
• Take yourcholesteroland官网地址bwinmedications while you also lower other risk factors.
• Have surgery that can improve blood flow if your doctor recommends it.

Percent of total deaths: 17.8%

The number ofcancerdeaths is falling slightly, but it’s still a leading cause of death. Prostate, lung, andcolorectalcancersare the top threecancersin men. For women, it’s breast, lung, andcolorectal cancer．

The rates ofcancerandcancerdeaths vary among racial and ethnic groups. They are generally highest for African Americans and lowest for Asian Americans. People with lower incomes more often die ofcancer．That’s in part because they are less likely to catch cancers early and get the best treatment.

Tips for preventing or surviving cancer

• Eat right andexercise．A recent panel found thatexercisehelps to preventcancer．It also may improve survival chances.
• Don’t smoke and do wearsunscreen．
• Followcancer screeningguidelines to catch cancers earlier when they are easier to treat.

Percent of total deaths: 10.4%

The highlycontagiousSARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) causes respiratory symptoms that are similar to acold, aflu, orpneumonia．

In 2020,COVID-19became an official cause of death for the first time and there are no statistics from previous years to compare to.

Tips for preventing COVID-19:

• Increase your distance while around others in public spaces by at least 6feet．
• Wear a mask when around large groups of people to preventbreathingparticles into your respiratory tract.
• Avoid contact with people you suspect may be infected or who have had recent exposure to an infected person.
• Spend as much time outdoors as possible, where you have less chance of coming in contact with particles.
• Ventilate your home by opening windows and use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner.
• Get a COVID-19vaccineto help protect your body from infection.
  • If you are immunocompromised:Consult with your doctor to see if you are eligible to receive a medication called Evusheld, which is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies that may help protect you from being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 for 6 months.
• Get tested for COVID-19 if you have signs and symptoms of infection such as asore throatandfeverto prevent spreading the virus.

Percent of total deaths: 5.9%

Accidental injuries send almost 30 million people to the emergency room each year and millions more to the doctor’s office. The leading causes of accidental death are falls, car accidents, and poisonings.

Tips to help prevent an accidental death

• To reduce the risk of falling, remove fall hazards in your home, keep your home well lit, and use a cane or walker if needed to keep you steady.
• Drive safely. Don’t use your cell phone while driving and follow all traffic guidelines.
• Take medications as prescribed. Store medications safely and get rid of any unused portions.

Percent of total deaths: 4.7%

Strokeis a leading cause of death and disability. African Americans are about twice as likely to have astrokeas whites; they are also more likely to die.Strokeshappen more often in older people, but they can happen at any age.

Tips for preventing or surviving a stroke

• Moststrokeshappen to people withhigh blood pressure,high cholesterol,obesity, ordiabetesas well as those who smoke.Quit smoking, make lifestyle changes, and take prescribed medications to control these conditions.
• Learn the signs of astroke, including sudden numbness,confusion, trouble seeing orwalking, and a sudden severeheadache．
• Stroketreatment works best when given within three hours of the first symptoms. If you think you or someone else is having astroke, call 9-1-1.

Percent of total deaths: 4.5%

Chronic lower respiratory diseases includebronchitis,emphysema, andasthma．Asthmais more common in women than men. African Americans more often end up in the hospital withasthmaand are more likely to die of it than people of other races or ethnicities.

Tips to prevent lower respiratory diseases

• Most cases ofchronic bronchitisandemphysemaoccur insmokers．The best way to avoid these conditions is to not smoke or toquit smokingif you do.
• If you haveasthma, follow your doctor’s advice to keep it controlled. Contact your doctor if symptoms get worse.
• If you have or are at risk for any of these conditions, avoid exposure to vapors, dust, or fumes that may make it worse.

Percent of total deaths: 4%

In most people, symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease start after the age of 60. It’s the sixth leading cause of death, but it’s an even more common cause of death among older people.

Tips for preventing Alzheimer’s disease

• Research suggests a link between Alzheimer’s and many other common causes of death, includingheart disease,stroke, anddiabetes．So basichealthy livingmay also help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• You may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by sleeping enough, continuing to learn new things, and staying socially connected. However, researchers need to study this more.
• There are treatments that may help with symptoms, but there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

Percent of total deaths: 3%

One in 4 people over age 65 hasdiabetes．It’s more likely if you have a family history or areoverweight．African American, Hispanic, and Native American people are at greater risk fordiabetesthan white people.

Tips for preventing and avoiding serious complications of diabetes

• You can prevent or managediabetesby eating healthy foods and exercising.
• If you havediabetes,insulin, oral medication, or both can help keep your bloodsugarunder control.
• People with diabetes are at greater risk forheart disease,heart attack, andstroke．So, it’s important if you have diabetes to reduce those risks by controllingcholesteroland官网地址bwinand notsmoking．

Percent of total deaths: 1.6%

Anyone can get theflu．Older adults and people with other health problems are more likely to getpneumonia．

Tips for preventing influenza, pneumonia, and their complications

• Get vaccinated. An annualflu shotand, for older people, thepneumococcal vaccinewill protect againstinfluenzaandpneumonia．
• Wash your hands often to prevent the spread of germs and stay away from people who are sick.
• Don’t smoke.Smokersare more likely to developpneumonia．

Percent of total deaths: 1.6%

The kidneys of people with chronickidney diseasedon’t filter blood the way they should. People with diabetes,heart disease,high blood pressure, or a family history ofkidney diseaseare more likely to develop the condition.

Tips to Protect Your Kidneys

• Keep your blood pressure and bloodsugarunder control.
• Develop a healthy routine, including nutritious meals, goodsleep, andexercise．
• Don’t smoke.