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- $Unique_ID{BRK00975}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Which Disease Causes the Most Deaths in the United States Today?}
- $Subject{heart disease statistics Community Social heart attack attacks
- cardiovascular diseases}
- $Volume{Q-3}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Which Disease Causes the Most Deaths in the United States Today?
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-
- QUESTION: With all the statistics that appear in television and newspapers
- about the deaths caused by all the diseases, its a wonder that anyone makes it
- to retirement these days. Just to clear up the confusion, and to help me win
- a wager, could you tell me which disease causes the most deaths in the United
- States today?
-
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-
- ANSWER: Without doubt, and despite the great progress in fighting the
- disease, heart disease is still the number 1 cause of death in the United
- States today. Statistics show that as many as 1.5 million Americans will fall
- victim to heart attacks in this year and more than one third of them will
- succumb to the affliction. Heart attacks are responsible for about 24% of the
- deaths recorded in the U.S. in 1987, numbering 513,000 deaths. Other
- cardiovascular diseases account for another 22 percent (about 463,000 deaths)
- just behind cancer with 477,000 deaths. There has been a drop of more than 40
- percent in coronary artery disease deaths since 1970, probably the result of
- all the education about the value of healthier life styles, and the new and
- very effective treatments for acute heart attacks. While women are less
- likely to succumb before menopause, they are twice as likely to die in the
- first few days after an attack than men, and heart attacks are the number 1
- cause of death for women as well. I hope this wins your bet for you.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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-