Heart healthPreventive careWomen's health

Most women die from these 10 health issues

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

Jan, 2026
LearnCardiologyHeart diseaseMost women die from these 10 health issues
Slide 1
#1 Heart disease
#2 Cancer
#3 Stroke
#4 COVID-19
#5 Alzheimer’s disease
#6 Chronic lower respiratory diseases
#7 Unintentional injuries
#8 Diabetes
#9 Kidney disease
#10 Hypertension

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Slide 1

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 for women in the United States, plus key tips on how to stay well.

Written byRose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.January, 2025
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Vital Statistics Reports. Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022. December 9 + 27
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Vital Statistics Reports. Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022. December 9, 2024.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Women and Heart Disease. Page last reviewed May 15, 2024.
  3. National Institutes of Health. Sex disparities after heart attack. May 9, 2023.
  4. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart Attacks in Women. Page last updated March 24, 2022.
  5. National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Cancer Stat Facts: Common Cancer Sites. Page accessed November 21, 2024.
  6. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Breast Cancer. Page last updated January 17, 2024.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. American Heart Association: Go Red for Women. Facts, Causes and Risks of Stroke. Page last reviewed February 16, 2024.
  10. American Heart Association. Is it fatigue – or a stroke? Women shouldn't ignore these warning signs. May 31, 2019.
  11. American Stroke Association. Risk Factors Under Your Control. Page accessed November 21, 2024.
  12. American Lung Association. Steps to help protect against COVID-19. Page last updated September 4, 2024.
  13. Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Page accessed November 21, 2024.
  14. National Institute on Aging. Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: What Do We Know? Page last reviewed October 10, 2023.
  15. Alzheimer’s Association. Caregiver Stress. Page accessed November 21, 2024.
  16. Alzheimer’s Association - Alzheimer’s Impact Movement. Factsheet: Women and Alzheimer’s Disease. March 2024.
  17. American Lung Association. Protecting Your Lungs. Page last updated November 20, 2024.
  18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accidents or Unintentional Injuries. Page last reviewed July 26, 2024.
  19. USA.gov. Find help for substance abuse. December 2, 2024.
  20. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Seat Belt Use. Page last updated April 24, 2024.
  21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Distracted Driving. Page last updated May 16, 2024.
  22. American Diabetes Association. Statistics About Diabetes. Page accessed November 21, 2024.
  23. Office on Women’s Health. Diabetes. Page last updated May 31, 2022.
  24. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Your Kidneys and How They Work. Page last reviewed June 2018.
  25. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. Page last updated May 15, 2024.
  26. MillionHearts. Estimated Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Control Among U.S. Adults. May 12, 2023.
  27. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High Blood Pressure: High Blood Pressure Facts. May 15, 2024.
  28. Cleveland Clinic. Primary Hypertension (Formerly Known as Essential Hypertension). October 26, 2021.

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