Odainn

What are women aged 70–74 in the United Kingdom most likely to die from?

For a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, the most likely causes of death over the next 10 years are dementia & Alzheimer's, COPD & chronic lung disease and lung cancer — together 27% of the risk. The chance of dying in the next 12 months is 1.5% (1 in 65); over 10 years it is 24%.

Next 12 months
1.5%
1 in 65
Next 10 years
24%
about 2 in 10
Life expectancy
88
about 16 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Dementia & Alzheimer's11%
    2.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 22%
  2. 02COPD & chronic lung disease8.5%
    2.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.4%
  3. 03Lung cancer7.8%
    1.9% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.7%
  4. 04Heart attack & coronary heart disease7.7%
    1.9% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.0%
  5. 05Stroke5.8%
    1.4% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.8%
  6. 06Other cancers5.5%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.9%
  7. 07Other digestive disease4.8%
    1.2% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.4%
  8. 08High blood pressure & other circulatory disease4.2%
    1.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.6%
  9. 09Heart failure & other heart disease4.0%
    0.97% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.0%
  10. 10Breast cancer3.6%
    0.87% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
Show the other 36 causes37% together
  1. 11Pneumonia & flu3.2%
    0.77% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.2%
  2. 12Other causes3.1%
    0.75% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.2%
  3. 13Colorectal cancer3.1%
    0.74% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  4. 14Uterine & ovarian cancer2.8%
    0.67% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  5. 15Leukaemia & lymphoma2.6%
    0.62% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
  6. 16Pancreatic cancer2.3%
    0.55% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
  7. 17Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)2.2%
    0.54% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
  8. 18Other lung disease2.2%
    0.52% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
  9. 19Falls1.5%
    0.37% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  10. 20Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.5%
    0.37% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
  11. 21COVID-191.5%
    0.36% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  12. 22Parkinson's disease1.5%
    0.35% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  13. 23Diabetes1.3%
    0.30% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
  14. 24Liver cancer1.2%
    0.28% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.65%
  15. 25Oesophageal cancer1.0%
    0.25% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.61%
  16. 26Bladder cancer0.74%
    0.18% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.58%
  17. 27Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.70%
    0.17% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.28%
  18. 28Brain cancer0.67%
    0.16% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.29%
  19. 29Kidney disease0.62%
    0.15% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.92%
  20. 30Kidney cancer0.62%
    0.15% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.39%
  21. 31Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.54%
    0.13% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.30%
  22. 32Stomach cancer0.48%
    0.12% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.31%
  23. 33Other accidents0.43%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.59%
  24. 34Melanoma (skin cancer)0.42%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.27%
  25. 35Cervical cancer0.22%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.11%
  26. 36Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.14%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
  27. 37Suicide0.13%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
  28. 38Congenital conditions0.12%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
  29. 39Other mental health conditions0.10%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
  30. 40Accidental poisoning & overdose0.10%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.04%
  31. 41Road accidents0.09%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
  32. 42Alcohol use disorder0.08%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  33. 43Drowning0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  34. 44Homicide<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  35. 45Drug use disorder<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  36. 46Complications around birth<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%

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 Samaritans on 116 123 — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for the United Kingdom (2023–2024), ONS, NRS and NISRA. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.
Embed this on your site

Free to use with the link back. The image updates when the data does.

These are averages. You aren't average.

Smoking, exercise, weight, alcohol and diet change these numbers. Get your personal numbers and the changes that give you the most years back — free.

Get your numbersTry another age
What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom

If you smoke or used to:

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Based on NHS screening programmes, the NHS Health Check and the NHS vaccination schedule. 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 women aged 70–74 in the United Kingdom?
Dementia & Alzheimer's: 11% of the risk of dying over the next 10 years for a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, followed by COPD & chronic lung disease and lung cancer.
What is the chance that a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom dies in the next year?
1.5% (1 in 65). Over the next 10 years it is 24% (about 2 in 10).
How long can a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom expect to live?
On average, to about 88 — around 16 more years, based on the United Kingdom's current death rates.
Which check-ups are recommended for a 72-year-old woman in the United Kingdom?
Blood pressure check; Bowel cancer screening (stool test); Flu vaccine; Cholesterol & heart-risk check; Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal); Blood sugar test (diabetes); Shingles vaccine. Based on NHS screening programmes, the NHS Health Check and the NHS vaccination schedule.
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 ONS, NRS and NISRA mortality statistics for the United Kingdom (2023–2024) — how we calculate. Educational, not medical advice.