Cancer and Heart disease leading causes of death in Canada

StatsCan released on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 its 2007 figures on the Leading causes of death. There were 235,217 deaths in Canada in 2007 with 51% of those deaths attributed to cancer and heart disease. Cancer was ranked as the number one cause of death at 30% with heart disease as number two at 22%. Stroke was number 3 at 6%.

 

The remaining seven of the top ten in order were chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease and suicide.

 

The top ten leading causes accounted for 77% of all deaths.

 

The major causes of death varied between age groups. Accidents and suicide were the 1^st and 2^nd causes in the group 15 to 34. For 35 to 74, it was cancer while over 85 it was heart disease. It was noted that while cancer remained pretty much the number one cause, it was eventually surpassed by heart disease in the elderly.

 

While men and women shared 6 out of 10 causes of death with cancer and heart disease at the top of the list, there were differences. Men had three times the number of suicides and twice the number of deaths caused by liver disease. Women accounted for 7 out of 10 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease. Stats show that the life expectancy of men is 78 while it is 83 for women in Canada.

 

A comparison between Canada and the U.S. shows a reversal. In Canada cancer is first and heart disease second while in the U.S. heart disease is first and cancer is second. Stroke was number three in both countries. Among the youth, in Canada the leading causes in order are accidents, suicide and homicide. In the U.S., the causes are accidents, homicide and suicide.

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