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Most women die from these 10 health issues

Learn how to lower your risk of the deadliest conditions for U.S. women.

Updated on January 7, 2025

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Did you know that several of the top causes of death may be preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? Adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help lower the risk of many life-threatening medical conditions. It can also help you remain active and energetic as you grow older.

With that in mind, here are the leading causes of death forShow More

someone holding a heart cutout
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#1 Heart disease

Heart disease has long been the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. It affects people of all ages and for women, is responsible for about one in five deaths each year. In fact, nearly half of all women in the U.S. have some type of heart disease. 

Heart disease can take aShow More

nurse talking with breast cancer patient
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#2 Cancer

Thanks to breakthroughs in screenings and treatments—as well as far less smoking—cancer death rates have steadily decreased in the U.S. for several decades. Yet, cancer remains the second most common cause of death for women. And though breast cancer is responsible for the deaths of more than 42,Show More

rear view woman clutching her chest
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#3 Stroke

About one in five women between ages 55 and 75 will have a stroke, and more than half of stroke deaths are women. 

It’s crucial to get medical help at the first sign of a stroke. Look for the following symptoms and call 911 right away if you experience any of them: 

senior woman coughing
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#4 COVID-19

Although the COVID pandemic has ebbed thanks to the widespread availability of vaccines, the disease remains lethal for many people. An estimated 186,552 people died of COVID in the U.S. in 2022, the most recent year for which the CDC has confirmed numbers. About 5.4 percent of women's deaths wereShow More

senior woman looking out the window
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#5 Alzheimer’s disease

Nearly 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and almost two-thirds of them are women. As the population ages, those numbers will increase. 

While scientists are looking for ways to both prevent and treat the degenerative and ultimately deadly brain disease, currently there isShow More

closeup of hand smoking cigarette
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#6 Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Smoking is the number one risk factor for chronic lower respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. More than twice as many women are diagnosed with bronchitis as men, and more women die from COPDShow More

woman putting her seatbelt
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#7 Unintentional injuries

Unintentional injuries is a catchall category that includes falls, car crashes, and crucially, drug overdoses. In 2022, nearly 108,000 people died by overdose, mostly involving opioids. Although men are more likely to overdose, women are affected in high numbers. If you or someone you love has aShow More

woman using glucose meter
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#8 Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body can’t produce or use enough insulin to control blood sugar. It can cause deadly complications, including kidney damage. People with diabetes often have other health conditions, such as heart disease, and some of the other deadly illnesses on thisShow More

woman with kidney pain
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#9 Kidney disease

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs do the critical job of filtering blood, as well as collecting waste and toxins, which are then removed via your urine.

With chronic kidney disease (CKD), the kidneys gradually lose their ability to do their job. That can lead to blood pressure spikes, potentiallyShow More

woman taking blood pressure reading at home
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#10 Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects almost half of women in the U.S. It occurs when blood pushes against blood vessel walls too hard. While having the condition increases the risk of several other potentially fatal illnesses—including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes—the CDC classifiesShow More

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Vital Statistics Reports. Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022. December 9, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Women and Heart Disease. Page last reviewed May 15, 2024. 
National Institutes of Health. Sex disparities after heart attack. May 9, 2023.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart Attacks in Women. Page last updated March 24, 2022. 
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Cancer Stat Facts: Common Cancer Sites. Page accessed November 21, 2024. 
American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Breast Cancer. Page last updated January 17, 2024. 
American Cancer Society. New Study Finds 40-Percent of Cancer Cases and Almost Half of all Deaths in the U.S. Linked to Modifiable Risk Factors. July 11, 2024. 
Office on Women’s Health. Disparities and the Leading Causes of Death in Women - National Women's Health Week 2023. Page last updated May 15, 2023. 
American Heart Association: Go Red for Women. Facts, Causes and Risks of Stroke. Page last reviewed February 16, 2024. 
American Heart Association. Is it fatigue – or a stroke? Women shouldn't ignore these warning signs. May 31, 2019. 
American Stroke Association. Risk Factors Under Your Control. Page accessed November 21, 2024. 
American Lung Association. Steps to help protect against COVID-19. Page last updated September 4, 2024. 
Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Page accessed November 21, 2024. 
National Institute on Aging. Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: What Do We Know? Page last reviewed October 10, 2023. 
Alzheimer’s Association. Caregiver Stress. Page accessed November 21, 2024. 
Alzheimer’s Association - Alzheimer’s Impact Movement. Factsheet: Women and Alzheimer’s Disease. March 2024. 
American Lung Association. Protecting Your Lungs. Page last updated November 20, 2024. 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accidents or Unintentional Injuries. Page last reviewed July 26, 2024.
USA.gov. Find help for substance abuse. December 2, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Seat Belt Use. Page last updated April 24, 2024. 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Distracted Driving. Page last updated May 16, 2024.
American Diabetes Association. Statistics About Diabetes. Page accessed November 21, 2024. 
Office on Women’s Health. Diabetes. Page last updated May 31, 2022.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Your Kidneys and How They Work. Page last reviewed June 2018.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. Page last updated May 15, 2024. 
MillionHearts. Estimated Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Control Among U.S. Adults. May 12, 2023.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High Blood Pressure: High Blood Pressure Facts. May 15, 2024.
Cleveland Clinic. Primary Hypertension (Formerly Known as Essential Hypertension). October 26, 2021.

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