Odainn

What are women aged 70–74 in the United States most likely to die from?

For a 72-year-old woman in the United States, the most likely causes of death over the next 10 years are heart attack & coronary heart disease, dementia & Alzheimer's and COPD & chronic lung disease — together 25% of the risk. The chance of dying in the next 12 months is 1.8% (1 in 57); over 10 years it is 26%.

Next 12 months
1.8%
1 in 57
Next 10 years
26%
about 3 in 10
Life expectancy
87
about 15 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Heart attack & coronary heart disease9.4%
    2.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 10%
  2. 02Dementia & Alzheimer's8.9%
    2.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 15%
  3. 03COPD & chronic lung disease7.0%
    1.8% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.1%
  4. 04Heart failure & other heart disease6.6%
    1.7% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.2%
  5. 05Stroke6.3%
    1.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.8%
  6. 06High blood pressure & other circulatory disease6.0%
    1.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.7%
  7. 07Lung cancer5.7%
    1.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.0%
  8. 08Other causes4.7%
    1.2% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.9%
  9. 09Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)4.2%
    1.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.4%
  10. 10Other cancers3.8%
    0.99% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.7%
Show the other 37 causes37% together
  1. 11Diabetes3.2%
    0.83% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  2. 12Other digestive disease3.1%
    0.80% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%
  3. 13Breast cancer3.0%
    0.78% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  4. 14Other lung disease2.6%
    0.68% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  5. 15Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)2.5%
    0.65% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  6. 16Kidney disease2.3%
    0.61% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.0%
  7. 17Pancreatic cancer2.2%
    0.58% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  8. 18Leukaemia & lymphoma2.1%
    0.56% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
  9. 19Uterine & ovarian cancer2.1%
    0.56% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%
  10. 20Colorectal cancer1.8%
    0.47% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  11. 21Pneumonia & flu1.6%
    0.41% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
  12. 22Parkinson's disease1.5%
    0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  13. 23Falls1.5%
    0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
  14. 24COVID-191.4%
    0.37% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
  15. 25Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)1.0%
    0.27% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.46%
  16. 26Liver cancer0.92%
    0.24% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.51%
  17. 27Brain cancer0.58%
    0.15% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.28%
  18. 28Other accidents0.52%
    0.14% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.48%
  19. 29Kidney cancer0.42%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.27%
  20. 30Bladder cancer0.40%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.35%
  21. 31Road accidents0.38%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.20%
  22. 32Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.32%
    0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.20%
  23. 33Stomach cancer0.31%
    0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.20%
  24. 34Oesophageal cancer0.28%
    0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.16%
  25. 35Melanoma (skin cancer)0.21%
    0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.14%
  26. 36Suicide0.18%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
  27. 37Cervical cancer0.18%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
  28. 38Other mental health conditions0.14%
    0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
  29. 39Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.14%
    0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
  30. 40Accidental poisoning & overdose0.13%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  31. 41Alcohol use disorder0.09%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  32. 42Congenital conditions0.09%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  33. 43Homicide0.06%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  34. 44Drowning0.03%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
  35. 45Drug use disorder0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  36. 46Complications around birth<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  37. 47Pregnancy & childbirth<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%

Some of these risks are about mental health and substances. They are among the most preventable — if you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 72-year-old woman in the United States, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for the United States (2023–2024), CDC. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.
Embed this on your site

Free to use with the link back. The image updates when the data does.

These are averages. You aren't average.

Smoking, exercise, weight, alcohol and diet change these numbers. Get your personal numbers and the changes that give you the most years back — free.

Get your numbersTry another age
What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 72-year-old woman in the United States

If you smoke or used to:

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Based on USPSTF recommendations and the CDC adult immunization schedule. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Compared with

Same age in other countries

Questions

What is the most common cause of death for women aged 70–74 in the United States?
Heart attack & coronary heart disease: 9.4% of the risk of dying over the next 10 years for a 72-year-old woman in the United States, followed by dementia & Alzheimer's and COPD & chronic lung disease.
What is the chance that a 72-year-old woman in the United States dies in the next year?
1.8% (1 in 57). Over the next 10 years it is 26% (about 3 in 10).
How long can a 72-year-old woman in the United States expect to live?
On average, to about 87 — around 15 more years, based on the United States' current death rates.
Which check-ups are recommended for a 72-year-old woman in the United States?
Blood pressure check; Colorectal cancer screening; Breast cancer screening (mammogram); Flu vaccine; Cholesterol & heart-risk check; Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal); Bone density scan (osteoporosis); Blood sugar test (diabetes); Shingles vaccine; Hepatitis C test. Based on USPSTF recommendations and the CDC adult immunization schedule.
Can these risks be lowered?
Many of them, yes. Smoking, alcohol, activity and weight change these numbers a lot, and screening finds several cancers early. Odainn's personal numbers adjust the statistics for your own habits and rank the changes that give you the most years back. This is educational information, not medical advice.

Computed by Odainn from official CDC mortality statistics for the United States (2023–2024) — how we calculate. Educational, not medical advice.