Slide 4 of 6
Notes:
This slide compares the top 5 leading causes of death for different age groups. The leading cause of death for most age groups is cardiovascular disease, which includes coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension and other cardiac irregularities. The second leading cause of death is most typically cancer. While these two chronic diseases account for the majority of deaths in the entire population, the leading causes of death for young people (ages 15-24) are accidents, homicide and suicide. This is partly because the effect of the other chronic diseases have not taken effect yet but also because the lifestyles of many youth put them at greater risk of these other hazards. An important point is that irregardless of age, lifestyle behaviors have a strong influence on risk of death.
Source: American Heart Association Heart_and Stroke_A_Z Guide (www.amhrt.org)
