leading causes of death for seniors
Heart disease and cancer have been the two leading causes of death among persons 65 years of. age and older for the past 2 decades, accounting for nearly a million deaths (995,187) in. 1997. Over one-third (35 percent) of all deaths are due to heart disease, including heart. attacks and chronic ischemic heart disease.
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the fifth-leading cause of death among those age 65 and older and a leading cause of disability and poor health. As the population of the United States ages, Alzheimer's is becoming a more common cause of death.