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Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the fifth-leading cause of death among those age 65 and older and a leading cause of disability and poor health. As the population of the United States ages, Alzheimer's is becoming a more common cause of death.
The report shows the ranking of the leading 15 causes of death stayed relatively the same from 2010 to 2011, although kidney-related causes of death (ranked No. 8 in 2010) and influenza / pneumonia (ranked No. 9 in 2010) exchanged ranks, as indicated below. Death rates increased for six other major causes of death. Top 15 Causes of Death (% change from 2010 to 2011): 1  Heart disease (-3%). 2  Cancer (-2.4%). 3  Chronic lower respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and bronchitis (+1.2%). 4  Stroke (-3.1%).