Leading Causes of Death for 76-Year-Olds

As you age, your risk of developing chronic conditions and illnesses become higher, and your chance of dying increases as well. If you're 76 years old or know someone who is, it's essential to know the leading causes of death for this age group. Understanding these causes can help you take necessary steps to prevent them and strive to live a healthier and longer life. In this article, we'll discuss the top contributors to death for 76-year-olds and what you can do to reduce the risk of falling victim to them. (Note: See here for 75-year-old causes of death or here for the most common causes of death for 77-year-olds.)

Leading Causes of Death for 76-Year-Olds (2021 CDC Data)

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease20,246
Cancer16,967
COVID-1910,038
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease4,458
Diabetes2,718
Alzheimer's Disease2,165
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,897
Kidney Disease1,391
Parkinson's Disease1,283
Septicemia1,075
Flu (Non-COVID)998
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)755
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids424
Suicide397
Nutritional Deficiency333
Gallbladder Disorder126
Anemias108
Enterocolitis105
Peptic Ulcer80
Homicide37
Viral Hepatitis34
Hernia32

According to the 2021 CDC data, heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for 76-year-olds in the United States. Heart disease alone is responsible for roughly 20,000 deaths, while cancer is not far behind at 16,967 deaths.

Surprisingly, COVID-19 is the third highest cause of mortality for this age group, accounting for over 10,000 deaths in 2021. Chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease are also among the top causes of death.

Accidents, including overdoses, are responsible for just under 2,000 deaths, followed by kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, and septicemia.

The data also reveals that suicide and nutritional deficiency are relatively low-causality factors. Homicide and viral hepatitis are also notably low.

It’s important to note that the data is from 2021 and may be subject to change in future years. Overall, this information can provide important insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers looking to improve public health programs and policies.

Top Causes of Death for Age 76 Men

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease11,452
Cancer9,111
COVID-195,761
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,179
Diabetes1,524
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,140
Parkinson's Disease859
Alzheimer's Disease802
Kidney Disease754
Flu (Non-COVID)545
Septicemia537
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)424
Suicide339
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids247
Nutritional Deficiency143
Gallbladder Disorder77
Anemias55
Enterocolitis52
Peptic Ulcer38
Homicide37
Viral Hepatitis34

For 76-year-old men, heart disease is the leading cause of death, accounting for just over 11,000 fatalities, followed by cancer at approximately 9,000 deaths. COVID-19 ranks third, causing around 5,761 deaths. Chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, and accidents, including overdoses, are also among the chief causes of death.

Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, and flu make up the remainder of the top ten leading causes of mortality. Septicemia, liver disease, and suicide are behind them. Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids, nutritional deficiency, gallbladder disorder, and anemias are notably less frequent in terms of causes of death for this age group.

Overall, the data reveals that heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19 are the most common causes of death in 76-year-old men. The table also indicates that seniors have higher rates of chronic diseases and that COVID-19 is a significant cause of death.

Common Causes of Death for 76-Year-Old Women

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease8,794
Cancer7,856
COVID-194,277
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,279
Alzheimer's Disease1,363
Diabetes1,194
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)757
Kidney Disease637
Septicemia538
Flu (Non-COVID)453
Parkinson's Disease424
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)331
Nutritional Deficiency190
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids177
Suicide58
Anemias53
Enterocolitis53
Gallbladder Disorder49
Peptic Ulcer42
Hernia32

Looking at the mortality data for 76-year-old women provided by the CDC, we can observe that the leading causes of death are quite similar to the overall data. Heart disease is still the most common cause of mortality, with over 8,000 deaths, followed closely by cancer at nearly 7,900 deaths.

COVID-19, while still a significant cause of death, is third on the list, with roughly 4,300 deaths. After COVID-19, chronic lower respiratory disease and Alzheimer’s disease round out the top five causes of death, with over 2,200 and 1,300 deaths, respectively.

Accidents, including overdoses, are responsible for nearly 800 deaths, whereas fatal cases of diabetes account for just over 1,100. Kidney disease and septicemia are also common among 76-year-old women, each accounting for over 500 deaths.

In addition, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, and nutritional deficiency are also commonly seen among this demographic. Suicide, anemias, enterocolitis, and gallbladder disorder are comparatively less common causes of mortality.

Overall, this information can provide important insights for clinicians and policymakers looking to develop effective strategies to address the leading causes of death among this population.

About The Author