Over 4 Million Lives Lost to This Disease in Just 5 Years

As morbid as it may sound, from the moment you're born, each day is one day closer to death, a factual inevitability of life that befalls everyone. But the time you spend on Earth differs for everyone. Some live extraordinarily long lives, like the oldest woman in the world, Tomiko Itooka of Japan, who as of August 2024 is 116 years old (she replaced the previous oldest woman, Maria Branyas of Spain who died at 117 years old), while others have their lives cut far too short. Many of these lives are lost to disease.

The current life expectancy differs in each country but in the United States. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it is now said to be 78.7 years, although their projections differ from other agencies that have it slightly higher – the Census Bureau has a 2024 life expectancy of 79.9 years. Women also typically have a higher average life expectancy than men. (Also, read about the 12 biggest public health conspiracies of all time.)

To determine the disease that has taken the lives of death over four million people in just five years, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on mortality rates for over 100 selected causes of death from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Major causes of death were ranked based on the crude mortality rate – annual deaths per 100,000 Americans – from 2018 to June 1, 2024.

15. Parkinson's disease

Mortality rate, 2018 to June 2024: 10.6 per 100,000 Americans
Age-adjusted mortality rate: 8.6 per 100,000 people
Total deaths: 244,732

14. Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease

Mortality rate, 2018 to June 2024: 11.2 per 100,000 Americans
Age-adjusted mortality rate: 9 per 100,000 people
Total deaths: 260,349

13. Septicemia

Mortality rate, 2018 to June 2024: 11.3 per 100,000 Americans
Age-adjusted mortality rate: 9.1 per 100,000 people
Total deaths: 261,209

12. Intentional self-harm (suicide)

Mortality rate, 2018 to June 2024: 12.3 per 100,000 Americans
Age-adjusted mortality rate: 11.9 per 100,000 people
Total deaths: 285,949

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which has trained listeners standing by and ready to help. Visit 988lifeline.org for crisis chat services or more information.