Statistics - Top 10 Causes

Leading Causes of Death - Male

Leading causes of death in the United States - males

The 10 leading causes of death accounted for about 79 percent of deaths among males occurring in the United States in 2002.  The top two causes, Diseases of heart (heart disease) and Malignant neoplasms (cancer), accounted for more than one-half (52.5 percent) of all deaths among males in 2002. 

Top 10 Causes of Death - Male

1. Diseases of Heart 28.4% [1st for females]
2. Malignant Neoplasms (cancer) 24.1% [2nd for females]
3. Accidents 5.8% [7th for females]
   • Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents (43%)
   • Poisoning (17%)
   • Fall (12%)
4. Cerebrovascular Diseases 5.2% [3rd for females]
5. Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases 5.1% [4th for females]
6. Diabetes Mellitus 2.9% [6th for females]
7. Influenza and Pneumonia 2.4% [8th for females]
8. Suicide 2.1% [17th for females]
9. Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrosis (kidney diseases) 1.6% [9th for females]
10. Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis1.5% [12th for females]

All Others 21.0%

Mortality - male vs female

The top two causes for males and females—heart disease and cancer—are the same. Accidents was third for males and seventh for females. Stroke, Chronic lower respiratory diseases, Diabetes mellitus, and Influenza and pneumonia, which ranked fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively, for males, ranked third, fourth, sixth, and eighth for females. Suicide and Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were ranked 8th and 10th, respectively, for males, but were not ranked among the 10 leading causes for females. Kidney disease ranked ninth for both males and females. Alzheimer ’s disease and Septicemia, ranked 5th and 10th, respectively, for females, were not ranked among the top 10 for males.

Data Source: National Center for Health Statistics
National Vital Statistics Reports March 7, 2005

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