Odainn

What are men aged 70–74 in Iceland most likely to die from?

For a 72-year-old man in Iceland, the most likely causes of death over the next 10 years are heart attack & coronary heart disease, prostate cancer and dementia & Alzheimer's — together 28% of the risk. The chance of dying in the next 12 months is 1.8% (1 in 57); over 10 years it is 28%.

Next 12 months
1.8%
1 in 57
Next 10 years
28%
about 3 in 10
Life expectancy
86
about 14 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Heart attack & coronary heart disease13%
    3.7% chance over 10 years · lifetime 16%
  2. 02Prostate cancer7.9%
    2.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.1%
  3. 03Dementia & Alzheimer's7.2%
    2.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 12%
  4. 04Heart failure & other heart disease5.9%
    1.7% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.0%
  5. 05Lung cancer5.5%
    1.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.3%
  6. 06COPD & chronic lung disease4.6%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.0%
  7. 07Stroke4.5%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.9%
  8. 08Leukaemia & lymphoma3.7%
    1.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%
  9. 09Parkinson's disease3.6%
    1.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%
  10. 10Colorectal cancer3.5%
    0.99% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.7%
Show the other 29 causes40% together
  1. 11Other cancers3.3%
    0.95% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  2. 12High blood pressure & other circulatory disease3.2%
    0.92% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.8%
  3. 13Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)2.9%
    0.82% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  4. 14Pneumonia & flu2.8%
    0.79% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
  5. 15Diabetes2.6%
    0.73% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
  6. 16Pancreatic cancer2.5%
    0.70% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  7. 17Oesophageal cancer2.3%
    0.66% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
  8. 18Other causes2.2%
    0.64% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  9. 19Liver cancer2.0%
    0.58% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
  10. 20Other digestive disease2.0%
    0.57% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.0%
  11. 21Brain cancer1.5%
    0.42% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.67%
  12. 22Kidney disease1.4%
    0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.0%
  13. 23Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.3%
    0.37% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
  14. 24Other accidents1.3%
    0.37% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
  15. 25Bladder cancer1.3%
    0.36% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
  16. 26Kidney cancer1.2%
    0.34% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.62%
  17. 27Falls1.1%
    0.32% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  18. 28COVID-191.0%
    0.30% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.89%
  19. 29Other lung disease0.94%
    0.27% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.93%
  20. 30Stomach cancer0.80%
    0.23% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.50%
  21. 31Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.69%
    0.20% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
  22. 32Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.39%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.59%
  23. 33Alcohol use disorder0.38%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.18%
  24. 34Melanoma (skin cancer)0.34%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.23%
  25. 35Road accidents0.29%
    0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
  26. 36Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.17%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.18%
  27. 37Other mental health conditions0.15%
    0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
  28. 38Suicide0.10%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.07%
  29. 39Accidental poisoning & overdose0.06%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%

Some of these risks are about mental health and substances. They are among the most preventable — if you or someone you love is struggling, call the Red Cross helpline on 1717 — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 72-year-old man in Iceland, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Iceland (2018, 2019 and 2023), Eurostat. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

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What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 72-year-old man in Iceland

If you smoke or used to:

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Based on Iceland's national screening invitations and European guidelines. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Compared with

Same age in other countries

Questions

What is the most common cause of death for men aged 70–74 in Iceland?
Heart attack & coronary heart disease: 13% of the risk of dying over the next 10 years for a 72-year-old man in Iceland, followed by prostate cancer and dementia & Alzheimer's.
What is the chance that a 72-year-old man in Iceland dies in the next year?
1.8% (1 in 57). Over the next 10 years it is 28% (about 3 in 10).
How long can a 72-year-old man in Iceland expect to live?
On average, to about 86 — around 14 more years, based on Iceland's current death rates.
Which check-ups are recommended for a 72-year-old man in Iceland?
Blood pressure check; Bowel cancer screening (stool test); Flu vaccine; Cholesterol & heart-risk check; Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal); Blood sugar test (diabetes). Based on Iceland's national screening invitations and European guidelines.
Can these risks be lowered?
Many of them, yes. Smoking, alcohol, activity and weight change these numbers a lot, and screening finds several cancers early. Odainn's personal numbers adjust the statistics for your own habits and rank the changes that give you the most years back. This is educational information, not medical advice.

Computed by Odainn from official Eurostat mortality statistics for Iceland (2018, 2019 and 2023) — how we calculate. Educational, not medical advice.