Leading Causes of Death for 75-Year-Olds

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As we age, keeping track of our health becomes increasingly important. At 75 years of age, it's vital to understand the leading causes of death and the factors that can increase the risk of mortality. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the leading causes of death for 75-year-olds vary by gender but include diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and stroke. Knowing these risk factors and taking proactive steps towards prevention can significantly improve the quality of life in our later years. In this article, we delve deeper into the leading causes of death for 75-year-olds, how they can be prevented, and valuable tips for promoting healthy aging. (Note: See here for 74-year-old causes of death or here for the most common causes of death for 76-year-olds.)

Leading Causes of Death for 75-Year-Olds (2021 CDC Data)

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease19,529
Cancer17,510
COVID-1910,024
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease4,254
Diabetes2,725
Alzheimer's Disease1,799
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,760
Kidney Disease1,380
Parkinson's Disease1,153
Septicemia1,079
Flu (Non-COVID)1,003
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)816
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids422
Suicide371
Nutritional Deficiency281
Gallbladder Disorder126
Anemias118
Enterocolitis115
Peptic Ulcer98
Congenital Malformations63
Viral Hepatitis61
HIV28
Homicide27
Hernia25

According to the recent data from the CDC, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for 75-year-olds, with 19,529 and 17,510 deaths respectively. What’s interesting is that COVID-19, which is a relatively new disease, has also made its way onto the list with 10,024 deaths. This is not surprising, given that the elderly are more susceptible to severe cases of the virus.

Chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease are the next leading causes of death. Accidents, including overdoses, are also a significant cause of mortality at this age. Kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, and septicemia also make it onto the list.

Interestingly, nutritional deficiency and gallbladder disorders are also cited as causes of death. These are usually considered less severe conditions, so it’s possible that they were more severe in these cases. It’s important to note that the data also includes congenital malformations, viral hepatitis, and HIV, which are not typically associated with this age group.

Overall, this data provides a comprehensive picture of the most prevalent causes of death for 75-year-olds. It’s clear that heart disease, cancer, COVID-19, and chronic lower respiratory disease are the most critical issues to address, as they cause the highest number of fatalities. However, there are also other causes of mortality that need to be examined, such as nutritional deficiencies and gallbladder issues, which may have underlying factors that need to be addressed.

Top Causes of Death for Age 75 Men

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease11,283
Cancer9,520
COVID-195,864
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,139
Diabetes1,548
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,079
Parkinson's Disease770
Kidney Disease740
Alzheimer's Disease649
Flu (Non-COVID)548
Septicemia544
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)480
Suicide305
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids256
Nutritional Deficiency137
Gallbladder Disorder75
Anemias59
Peptic Ulcer51
Enterocolitis47
Viral Hepatitis35
Congenital Malformations31
HIV28
Homicide27
Hernia25

Looking at the data provided, it’s clear that heart disease is the leading cause of death for 75-year-old men, accounting for 11,283 fatalities. Cancer is the second most frequent cause of death for men of this age group with 9,520 deaths. COVID-19 is the third leading cause of death with 5,864 fatalities, which is consistent with the overall data analysis.

Chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, and accidents, including overdoses, also contribute to the leading causes of death for 75-year-old men. Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s disease are also prevalent, which corresponds to the overall analysis.

There are some differences between the overall mortality data and the data for men only. For instance, Parkinson’s disease and kidney disease are more prevalent causes of death for men, whereas Alzheimer’s disease is more frequent in the overall data analysis. It is also notable that suicide and pneumonitis due to solids and liquids have a marginally higher frequency in men than in the overall mortality data.

Overall, the data analysis indicates that heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death, consistent with the broader analysis. Although some differences exist in the order of prominence, the causes of mortality remain similar, indicating that preventive measures need to be put in place to improve the health of men in this demographic.

Common Causes of Death for 75-Year-Old Women

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease8,246
Cancer7,990
COVID-194,160
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,115
Diabetes1,177
Alzheimer's Disease1,150
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)681
Kidney Disease640
Septicemia535
Flu (Non-COVID)455
Parkinson's Disease383
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)336
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids166
Nutritional Deficiency144
Enterocolitis68
Suicide66
Anemias59
Gallbladder Disorder51
Peptic Ulcer47
Congenital Malformations32
Viral Hepatitis26

Looking at the data for women only, heart disease and cancer continue to be the most common causes of death among 75-year-old women, with 8,246 and 7,990 deaths, respectively. COVID-19 is still present at 4,160 deaths, while chronic lower respiratory disease is also a leading cause with 2,115 fatalities. Alzheimer’s disease and accidents (including overdoses) are the next leading causes of death among this group.

Other notable causes of death in women include diabetes, kidney disease, and septicemia, all of which ranked higher than Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, and peptic ulcers in females compared to the overall ranking. Nutritional deficiency is also a cause of mortality in women, albeit with a relatively low number of deaths.

It’s interesting to note that the total number of deaths is generally lower for women across all causes of death. Additionally, while heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of death for women, there’s a marked disparity between the two—they’re much more closely tied than in the overall data.

Overall, this data highlights that there are a few leading causes of death among 75-year-old women, such as heart disease, cancer, COVID-19, chronic lower respiratory disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Further analysis could reveal more insights into the specific risk factors for each condition that could help prioritize interventions to improve the health outcomes of this population.