Trends in causes of death among the elderly.

Abstract

Significant trends in mortality among the elderly have emerged: Death from heart disease and atherosclerosis has declined dramatically for all groups. Death from cancer decreased for men in the 1990’s after increasing in the previous 2 decades. Hypertension declined among older white men, but drastically increased among older black men. Biomedical advances, public health initiatives, and social changes may reduce mortality and increase longevity. Overview Since 1900, life expectancy in the United States has dramatically increased, and the principal causes of death have changed. At the beginning of the 20 century, many Americans died young. Most did not live past the age of 65, their lives often abruptly ended by one of a variety of deadly infectious diseases. But over time, death rates dropped at all ages, most dramatically for the young. By the dawn of the 21 century, the vast majority of children born in any given year could expect to live through childhood and into their eighth decade or beyond. Percent of newborns living to age 65