CDC states:
1- “6 in 10 adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease and 4 in ten adults have 2 or more.
2- Chronic Disease in America:
- Heart disease: 696,962
- Cancer: 602,350
- COVID-19: 350,831
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 200,955
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 160,264
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 152,657
- Alzheimer’s disease: 134,242
- Diabetes: 102,188
- Influenza and pneumonia: 53,544
- Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 52,547″
Source: Mortality in the United States, 2020, data table for figure 4
As of 2019:
For more than a decade, heart disease and cancer have claimed the first and second spots respectively as the leading causes of deaths in America. Together, the two causes are responsible for over 45 percent of deaths in the United States.
For more than 30 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been collecting and examining causes of death. This information helps researchers and doctors understand if they need to address growing epidemics in healthcare.
The numbers also help them understand how preventive measures may help people live longer and healthier lives.
The top 12 causes of death in the United States account for more than 75 percent of all deaths. Learn about each of the main causes and what can be done to prevent them.
The following data is taken from the CDC’s 2017 report:
1. Heart Disease:
Number of deaths per year: 635,260
Percent of total deaths: 23.1 percent
More common among:
- men
- people who smoke
- people who are overweight or obese
- people with a family history of heart disease or heart attack
- people over age 55
What causes heart disease?
Heart disease is a term used to describe a range of conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. These conditions include:
- heart arrhythmias Common is Atrial Fibrillation (irregular heartbeats)
- coronary artery disease (blocked arteries)
- heart defects
Tips for prevention
Lifestyle changes can prevent many cases of heart disease, such as the following:
- Quit smoking.
- Eat a healthier diet.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
2. Cancer
Number of deaths per year: 598,038
Percent of total deaths: 21.7 percent
More common among: Each type of cancer has a specific set of risk factors, but several risk factors are common among multiple types. These risk factors include:
- people of a certain age
- people who use tobacco and alcohol
- people exposed to radiation and a lot of sunlight
- people with chronic inflammation
- people who are obese
- people with a family history of the disease
What causes cancer?
Cancer is the result of rapid and uncontrolled cell growth in your body. A normal cell multiplies and divides in a controlled manner. Sometimes, those instructions become scrambled. When this happens, the cells begin to divide at an uncontrolled rate. This can develop into cancer.
Tips for prevention
There’s no clear way to avoid cancer. But certain behaviors have been linked to increased cancer risk, like smoking. Avoiding those behaviors may help you cut your risk. Good changes to your behaviors include things like:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.
- Quit smoking and drink in moderation.
- Avoid direct exposure to the sun for extended periods of time. Don’t use tanning beds.
- Have regular cancer screenings, including skin checks, mammograms, prostate exams, and more.
3. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Number of deaths per year: 154,596
Percent of total deaths: 5.6 percent
More common among:
- women
- people over age 65
- people with a history of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
- people with a history of asthma
- individuals in lower-income households
What causes respiratory diseases?
This group of diseases includes:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- emphysema
- asthma
- pulmonary hypertension
Each of these conditions or diseases prevents your lungs from working properly. They can also cause scarring and damage to the lung’s tissues.
Tips for prevention
Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure are the primary factors in the development of these diseases. Quit smoking. Limit your exposure to other people’s smoke to reduce your risks.
4. Stroke
Number of deaths per year: 142,142
Percent of total deaths: 5.18 percent
More common among:
- men
- women using birth control
- people with diabetes
- people with high blood pressure
- people with heart disease
- people who smoke
What causes a stroke?
A stroke occurs when the blood flow to your brain is cut off. Without oxygen-rich blood flowing to your brain, your brain cells begin to die in a matter of minutes.
The blood flow can be stopped because of a blocked artery or bleeding in the brain. This bleeding may be from an aneurysm or a broken blood vessel.
Tips for prevention
Many of the same lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk for heart disease can also reduce your risk for stroke:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Exercise more and eat healthier.
- Manage your blood pressure.
- Stop smoking. Drink only in moderation.
- Manage your blood sugar level and diabetes.
- Treat any underlying heart defects or diseases.
5. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Number of deaths per year: 161,374
Percent of total deaths: 5.9 percent
More common among:
- men
- people ages 1 to 44
- people with risky jobs
What causes accidents?
Accidents lead to more than 28 million emergency room visits each year.
The three leading causes of accident-related death are:
- unintentional falls
- motor vehicle traffic deaths
- unintentional poisoning deaths
Tips for prevention
Unintentional injuries may be the result of carelessness or a lack of careful action. Be aware of your surroundings. Take all proper precautions to prevent accidents or injuries.
If you hurt yourself, seek emergency medical treatment to prevent serious complications.