Leading Causes of Death for 70-Year-Olds

Aging brings with it several health challenges, making it essential to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, despite our best efforts, illness and death are an inevitable part of life. While it's impossible to predict the exact time or cause of death, knowing about the common causes can help prepare us and protect our health as we age. If you are 70 or nearing that age, understanding the leading causes of death for your age group can help you take necessary precautions and make informed decisions about your lifestyle. In this article, we will discuss the top causes of death for 70-year-olds and provide tips to prevent them. (Note: See here for 69-year-old causes of death or here for the most common causes of death for 71-year-olds.)

Leading Causes of Death for 70-Year-Olds (2021 CDC Data)

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease18,220
Cancer17,709
COVID-1910,076
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease3,906
Diabetes2,811
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,962
Kidney Disease1,195
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)1,185
Septicemia1,048
Alzheimer's Disease866
Flu (Non-COVID)845
Parkinson's Disease584
Suicide521
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids352
Nutritional Deficiency239
Viral Hepatitis114
Gallbladder Disorder99
Anemias93
Enterocolitis88
Peptic Ulcer80
HIV70
Congenital Malformations60
Homicide54
Hernia27

According to the latest CDC data, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for 70-year-olds. Heart disease accounted for 18,220 deaths and cancer accounted for 17,709 deaths. COVID-19, which is a relatively new disease, has emerged as the third leading cause of death with 10,076 deaths, highlighting the pandemic’s impact.

Chronic lower respiratory disease and diabetes also represent significant causes of death, with 3,906 and 2,811 deaths, respectively. Accidents (including overdoses), kidney disease, liver disease (including cirrhosis), septicemia, and Alzheimer’s disease were among the other leading causes of death.

It is worth noting that flu (non-COVID), Parkinson’s disease, suicide, pneumonitis due to solids and liquids, and nutritional deficiency also contribute to mortality at this age. However, compared to other leading causes of death, these causes account for relatively fewer deaths.

It is important to note that while this data highlights the leading causes of death, it does not consider the prevalence of different health conditions or their interaction with other factors that may influence mortality. It is also important to consider potential confounding factors in analyzing the data, such as differences in population demographics or underlying medical conditions.

Overall, this data serves as a reminder of the importance of preventative measures and proper medical care to help mitigate the effects of these leading causes of death. While we cannot completely eliminate mortality, understanding the leading causes can help us to better prevent and treat diseases and ultimately improve health outcomes for individuals and communities.

Top Causes of Death for Age 70 Men

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease11,382
Cancer9,729
COVID-195,943
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,031
Diabetes1,654
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,306
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)780
Kidney Disease640
Septicemia525
Flu (Non-COVID)509
Suicide424
Parkinson's Disease393
Alzheimer's Disease367
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids201
Nutritional Deficiency124
Viral Hepatitis78
HIV70
Gallbladder Disorder55
Homicide54
Enterocolitis49
Peptic Ulcer48
Anemias42
Congenital Malformations29
Hernia27

The mortality data for 70-year-old men reveals that the leading causes of death are heart disease and cancer, similar to the overall data. Heart disease accounts for 11,382 deaths and cancer accounts for 9,729 deaths. COVID-19 has emerged as the third most common cause of death with 5,943 deaths, followed by chronic lower respiratory disease and diabetes.

Interestingly, accidents (including overdoses) and liver disease (including cirrhosis) represent the sixth and seventh leading causes of death for men, respectively, as opposed to women, in which accidents and liver disease are not among the top ten leading causes of death.

Other leading causes of death for men include kidney disease, septicemia, flu (non-COVID), suicide, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The data highlights that men are more susceptible to certain causes of death, such as liver disease, while they are less likely to die from causes such as Alzheimer’s disease compared to women.

Overall, the data emphasizes the importance of preventative measures and proper medical care to help mitigate the effects of the leading causes of death for men. Identifying disparities and risk factors associated with different causes of death can help inform public health policies to improve health outcomes for men.

Common Causes of Death for 70-Year-Old Women

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Cancer7,980
Heart Disease6,838
COVID-194,133
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease1,875
Diabetes1,157
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)656
Kidney Disease555
Septicemia523
Alzheimer's Disease499
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)405
Flu (Non-COVID)336
Parkinson's Disease191
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids151
Nutritional Deficiency115
Suicide97
Anemias51
Gallbladder Disorder44
Enterocolitis39
Viral Hepatitis36
Peptic Ulcer32
Congenital Malformations31

For 70-year-old women, cancer and heart disease remain the top two leading causes of death, accounting for a total of 14,818 deaths. COVID-19 emerged as the third leading cause of death with 4,133 deaths, followed by chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, and accidents (including overdoses).

Kidney disease, septicemia, Alzheimer’s disease, liver diseases (including cirrhosis), flu (non-COVID), Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonitis due to solids and liquids also represent significant causes of death for women at this age.

It is worth noting that nutritional deficiency, suicide, viral hepatitis, and congenital malformations also contributed to mortality for women at this age, although to a lesser extent.

Despite the gender disparity in leading causes of death between men and women, cancer and heart disease remain the two leading causes for both genders, reflecting their prevalence among the elderly population. These data highlights the importance of preventative measures and medical care to help mitigate the effects of these leading causes of death, with a particular emphasis on screening and early detection for cancer and heart disease in women.

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