Health

Leading Causes Of Death

October 7, 1998 / 9:38 PM EDT / AP

Leading causes of death in 1997 and the number of Americans who died from each, according to a report released Wednesday from the National Center for Health Statistics. The data are based on an annual review of death certificates.

1. Heart disease, 725,790.
2. Cancer, 537,390.
3. Stroke, 159,877.
4. Lung diseases, 110,637.
5. Accidents, 92,191.
6. Pneumonia and influenza, 88,383.
7. Diabetes, 62,332.
8. Suicide, 29,725.
9. Kidney disease, 25,570.
10. Liver disease, 24,765.
11. Blood poisoning, 22,604.
12. Alzheimer's disease, 22,527.
13. Homicide, 18,774.
14. HIV and AIDS, 16,685.
15. Hardening of the arteries, 15,884.
All other causes, 361,635