Library Index :: Death and Dying: End-of-Life Controversies :: Older Adults - The Longevity Revolution, The Aging Of America, Leading Causes Of Death Among The Elderly, Dementia

Older Adults - Dementia

Older people with mental problems were once labeled "senile." However, researchers have found that physical disorders can cause progressive deterioration of mental and neurological functions. These disorders produce symptoms that are collectively known as dementia. Symptoms of dementia include loss of language functions, inability to think abstractly, inability to care for

TABLE 10.2 Projected population by age and sex, selected years 2000–50 "Table 2a. Projected Population of the United States, by Age and Sex: 2000 to 2050," in U.S. Interim Projections by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin, U.S. Census Bureau, March 18, 2004, http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/usinterimproj/natprojtab02a.pdf (accessed November 8, 2005)

TABLE 10.2
Projected population by age and sex, selected years 2000–50
[In thousands except as indicated. As of July 1. Resident population.]
Population or percent, sex, and age 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
SOURCE: "Table 2a. Projected Population of the United States, by Age and Sex: 2000 to 2050," in U.S. Interim Projections by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin, U.S. Census Bureau, March 18, 2004, http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/usinterimproj/natprojtab02a.pdf (accessed November 8, 2005)
Population
Total
    Total 282,125 308,936 335,805 363,584 391,946 419,854
    0-4 19,218 21,426 22,932 24,272 26,299 28,080
    5-19 61,331 61,810 65,955 70,832 75,326 81,067
    20-44 104,075 104,444 108,632 114,747 121,659 130,897
    45-64 62,440 81,012 83,653 82,280 88,611 93,104
    65-84 30,794 34,120 47,363 61,850 64,640 65,844
    85+ 4,267 6,123 7,269 9,603 15,409 20,861
Male
    Total 138,411 151,815 165,093 178,563 192,405 206,477
    0-4 9,831 10,947 11,716 12,399 13,437 14,348
    5-19 31,454 31,622 33,704 36,199 38,496 41,435
    20-44 52,294 52,732 54,966 58,000 61,450 66,152
    45-64 30,381 39,502 40,966 40,622 43,961 46,214
    65-84 13,212 15,069 21,337 28,003 29,488 30,579
    85+ 1,240 1,942 2,403 3,340 5,573 7,749
Female
    Total 143,713 157,121 170,711 185,022 199,540 213,377
    0-4 9,387 10,479 11,216 11,873 12,863 13,732
    5-19 29,877 30,187 32,251 34,633 36,831 39,632
    20-44 51,781 51,711 53,666 56,747 60,209 64,745
    45-64 32,059 41,510 42,687 41,658 44,650 46,891
    65-84 17,582 19,051 26,026 33,848 35,152 35,265
    85+ 3,028 4,182 4,866 6,263 9,836 13,112
Percent of total
Total
    Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
    0-4 6.8 6.9 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.7
    5-19 21.7 20.0 19.6 19.5 19.2 19.3
    20-44 36.9 33.8 32.3 31.6 31.0 31.2
    45-64 22.1 26.2 24.9 22.6 22.6 22.2
    65-84 10.9 11.0 14.1 17.0 16.5 15.7
    85+ 1.5 2.0 2.2 2.6 3.9 5.0
Male
    Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
    0-4 7.1 7.2 7.1 6.9 7.0 6.9
    5-19 22.7 20.8 20.4 20.3 20.0 20.1
    20-44 37.8 34.7 33.3 32.5 31.9 32.0
    45-64 21.9 26.0 24.8 22.7 22.8 22.4
    65-84 9.5 9.9 12.9 15.7 15.3 14.8
    85+ 0.9 1.3 1.5 1.9 2.9 3.8
Female
    Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
    0-4 6.5 6.7 6.6 6.4 6.4 6.4
    5-19 20.8 19.2 18.9 18.7 18.5 18.6
    20-44 36.0 32.9 31.4 30.7 30.2 30.3
    45-64 22.3 26.4 25.0 22.5 22.4 22.0
    65-84 12.2 12.1 15.2 18.3 17.6 16.5
    85+ 2.1 2.7 2.9 3.4 4.9 6.1

oneself, personality change, emotional instability, and loss of a sense of time or place.

Dementia has become a serious health problem in developed countries, including the United States, because older adults are living even longer. In 2000 the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics estimated that approximately 10% of those older than age sixty-five, 20% of those older than age seventy-five, and nearly 36% of those over age eighty-five suffer from dementia.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the single most common cause of dementia. It is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in severely impaired memory, thinking, and behavior. First described in 1906 by the German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer, the disorder may strike people in their forties and fifties, but most victims are over age sixty-five.

TABLE 10.3 Leading causes of death and numbers of deaths, by age, 1980 and 2002

TABLE 10.3
Leading causes of death and numbers of deaths, by age, 1980 and 2002
[Data are based on death certificates]
Age and rank order 1980 2002
Cause of death Deaths Cause of death Deaths
Under 1 year
… All causes 45,526 All causes 28,034
  1 Congenital anomalies 9,220 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 5,623
  2 Sudden infant death syndrome 5,510 Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified 4,637
  3 Respiratory distress syndrome 4,989 Sudden infant death syndrome 2,295
  4 Disorders relating to short gestation and unspecified low birthweight 3,648 Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy 1,708
  5 Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy 1,572 Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes 1,028
  6 Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia 1,497 Unintentional injuries 946
  7 Unintentional injuries 1,166 Respiratory distress of newborn 943
  8 Birth trauma 1,058 Bacterial sepsis of newborn 749
  9 Pneumonia and influenza 1,012 Diseases of circulatory system 667
 10 Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord, and membranes 985 Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia 583
1-4 years
… All causes 8,187 All causes 4,858
  1 Unintentional injuries 3,313 Unintentional injuries 1,641
  2 Congenital anomalies 1,026 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 530
  3 Malignant neoplasms 573 Homicide 423
  4 Diseases of heart 338 Malignant neoplasms 402
  5 Homicide 319 Diseases of heart 165
  6 Pneumonia and influenza 267 Influenza and pneumonia 110
  7 Meningitis 223 Septicemia 79
  8 Meningococcal infection 110 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 65
  8 … … Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period 65
  9 Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period 84 … …
 10 Septicemia 71 In situ neoplasms, benign neoplasms and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior 60
5-14 years
… All causes 10,689 All causes 7,150
  1 Unintentional injuries 5,224 Unintentional injuries 2,718
  2 Malignant neoplasms 1,497 Malignant neoplasms 1,072
  3 Congenital anomalies 561 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 417
  4 Homicide 415 Homicide 356
  5 Diseases of heart 330 Suicide 264
  6 Pneumonia and influenza 194 Diseases of heart 255
  7 Suicide 142 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 136
  8 Benign neoplasms 104 Septicemia 95
  9 Cerebrovascular diseases 95 Cerebrovascular diseases 91
  9 … … Influenza and pneumonia 91
 10 Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases 85 … …

Dr. Alzheimer's autopsy of a severely demented fifty-five-year-old woman revealed deposits of "neuritic plaques" and "neurofibrillary tangles." The latter characteristic, the presence of twisted and tangled fibers in the brain cells, is the anatomical hallmark of the disease.

SYMPTOMS

AD has been described as "a dementia of gradual onset and progressive decline." Mild or early AD is not easily distinguishable from the characteristics of normal aging—mild episodes of forgetfulness and disorientation. Gradually, the AD patient may experience confusion; language problems, such as trouble finding words; impaired judgment; disorientation in place and time; and changes in mood, behavior, and personality. The speed with which these changes occur varies, but eventually the disease leaves patients unable to care for themselves.

In the terminal stages of AD, patients require care twenty-four hours a day. They no longer recognize family members or themselves and need help with simple daily activities, such as eating, dressing, bathing, and using the

TABLE 10.3 Leading causes of death and numbers of deaths, by age, 1980 and 2002 [CONTINUED] "Table 32. Leading Causes of Death and Numbers of Deaths, according to Age: United States, 1980 and 2002," in Health, United States, 2005, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, November 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus05.pdf (accessed February 27, 2006)

TABLE 10.3
Leading causes of death and numbers of deaths, by age, 1980 and 2002 [CONTINUED]
[Data are based on death certificates]
Age and rank order 1980 2002
Cause of death Deaths Cause of death Deaths
Note: "…"=Category not applicable.
SOURCE: "Table 32. Leading Causes of Death and Numbers of Deaths, according to Age: United States, 1980 and 2002," in Health, United States, 2005, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, November 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus05.pdf (accessed February 27, 2006)
15-24 years
… All causes 49,027 All causes 33,046
  1 Unintentional injuries 26,206 Unintentional injuries 15,412
  2 Homicide 6,537 Homicide 5,219
  3 Suicide 5,239 Suicide 4,010
  4 Malignant neoplasms 2,683 Malignant neoplasms 1,730
  5 Diseases of heart 1,223 Diseases of heart 1,022
  6 Congenital anomalies 600 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 492
  7 Cerebrovascular diseases 418 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 192
  8 Pneumonia and influenza 348 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease 178
  9 Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases diseases Diabetes mellitus 171
141 Cerebrovascular diseases 171
  9 … … … …
 10 Anemias 133
25-44 years
… All causes 108,658 All causes 132,495
  1 Unintentional injuries 26,722 Unintentional injuries 29,279
  2 Malignant neoplasms 17,551 Malignant neoplasms 19,957
  3 Diseases of heart 14,513 Diseases of heart 16,853
  4 Homicide 10,983 Suicide 11,897
  5 Suicide 9,855 Homicide 7,728
  6 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 4,782 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease 7,546
  7 Cerebrovascular diseases 3,154 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 3,528
  8 Diabetes mellitus 1,472 Cerebrovascular diseases 2,992
  9 Pneumonia and influenza 1,467 Diabetes mellitus 2,806
 10 Congenital anomalies 817 Influenza and pneumonia 1,316
45-64 years
… All causes 425,338 All causes 425,727
  1 Diseases of heart 148,322 Malignant neoplasms 143,028
  2 Malignant neoplasms 135,675 Diseases of heart 101,804
  3 Cerebrovascular diseases 19,909 Unintentional injuries 23,020
  4 Unintentional injuries 18,140 Cerebrovascular diseases 15,952
  5 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 16,089 Diabetes mellitus 15,518
  6 Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases 11,514 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 14,755
  7 Diabetes mellitus 7,977 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 13,313
  8 Suicide 7,079 Suicide 9,926
  9 Pneumonia and influenza 5,804 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease 5,821
 10 Homicide 4,019 Septicemia 5,434
65 years and over
… All causes 1,341,848 All causes 1,811,720
  1 Diseases of heart 595,406 Diseases of heart 576,301
  2 Malignant neoplasms 258,389 Malignant neoplasms 391,001
  3 Cerebrovascular diseases 146,417 Cerebrovascular diseases 143,293
  4 Pneumonia and influenza 45,512 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 108,313
  5 Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases 43,587 Influenza and pneumonia 58,826
  6 Atherosclerosis 28,081 Alzheimer's disease 58,289
  7 Diabetes mellitus 25,216 Diabetes mellitus 54,715
  8 Unintentional injuries 24,844 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis 34,316
  9 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis 12,968 Unintentional injuries 33,641
 10 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 9,519 Septicemia 26,670

TABLE 10.4 Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002

TABLE 10.4
Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002
[Data are based on death certificates]
Sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age 1950a 1960a 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002
All persons Deaths per 100,000 resident population
All ages, age adjustedb 586.8 559.0 492.7 412.1 321.8 257.6 247.8 240.8
All ages, crude 355.5 369.0 362.0 336.0 289.5 252.6 245.8 241.7
Under 1 year 3.5 6.6 13.1 22.8 20.1 13.0 11.9 12.4
1-4 years 1.3 1.3 1.7 2.6 1.9 1.2 1.5 1.1
5-14 years 2.1 1.3 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.6
15-24 years 6.8 4.0 3.0 2.9 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.5
25-34 years 19.4 15.6 11.4 8.3 7.6 7.4 8.0 7.9
35-44 years 86.4 74.6 66.7 44.6 31.4 29.2 29.6 30.5
45-54 years 308.6 271.8 238.4 180.2 120.5 94.2 92.9 93.7
55-64 years 808.1 737.9 652.3 494.1 367.3 261.2 246.9 241.5
65-74 years 1,839.8 1,740.5 1,558.2 1,218.6 894.3 665.6 635.1 615.9
75-84 years 4,310.1 4,089.4 3,683.8 2,993.1 2,295.7 1,780.3 1,725.7 1,677.2
85 years and over 9,150.6 9,317.8 7,891.3 7,777.1 6,739.9 5,926.1 5,664.2 5,446.8
Male
All ages, age adjustedb 697.0 687.6 634.0 538.9 412.4 320.0 305.4 297.4
All ages, crude 423.4 439.5 422.5 368.6 297.6 249.8 242.5 240.7
Under 1 year 4.0 7.8 15.1 25.5 21.9 13.3 11.8 12.9
1-4 years 1.4 1.4 1.9 2.8 1.9 1.4 1.5 1.1
5-14 years 2.0 1.4 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.7
15-24 years 6.8 4.2 3.7 3.7 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3
25-34 years 22.9 20.1 15.2 11.4 10.3 9.6 10.3 10.5
35-44 years 118.4 112.7 103.2 68.7 48.1 41.4 41.7 43.1
45-54 years 440.5 420.4 376.4 282.6 183.0 140.2 136.6 138.4
55-64 years 1,104.5 1,066.9 987.2 746.8 537.3 371.7 349.8 343.4
65-74 years 2,292.3 2,291.3 2,170.3 1,728.0 1,250.0 898.3 851.3 827.1
75-84 years 4,825.0 4,742.4 4,534.8 3,834.3 2,968.2 2,248.1 2,177.3 2,110.1
85 years and over 9,659.8 9,788.9 8,426.2 8,752.7 7,418.4 6,430.0 6,040.5 5,823.5
Female
All ages, age adjustedb 484.7 447.0 381.6 320.8 257.0 210.9 203.9 197.2
All ages, crude 288.4 300.6 304.5 305.1 281.8 255.3 249.0 242.7
Under 1 year 2.9 5.4 10.9 20.0 18.3 12.5 12.0 11.8
1-4 years 1.2 1.1 1.6 2.5 1.9 1.0 1.4 1.0
5-14 years 2.2 1.2 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.7 0.6
15-24 years 6.7 3.7 2.3 2.1 1.8 2.1 1.8 1.7
25-34 years 16.2 11.3 7.7 5.3 5.0 5.2 5.6 5.2
35-44 years 55.1 38.2 32.2 21.4 15.1 17.2 17.6 18.0
45-54 years 177.2 127.5 109.9 84.5 61.0 49.8 50.7 50.6
55-64 years 510.0 429.4 351.6 272.1 215.7 159.3 151.8 147.2
65-74 years 1,419.3 1,261.3 1,082.7 828.6 616.8 474.0 455.9 440.1
75-84 years 3,872.0 3,582.7 3,120.8 2,497.0 1,893.8 1,475.1 1,428.9 1,389.7
85 years and over 8,796.1 9,016.8 7,591.8 7,350.5 6,478.1 5,720.9 5,506.8 5,283.3
White malec
All ages, age adjustedb 700.2 694.5 640.2 539.6 409.2 316.7 301.8 294.1
All ages, crude 433.0 454.6 438.3 384.0 312.7 265.8 257.8 256.0
45-54 years 423.6 413.2 365.7 269.8 170.6 130.7 127.0 128.6
55-64 years 1,081.7 1,056.0 979.3 730.6 516.7 351.8 330.8 324.0
65-74 years 2,308.3 2,297.9 2,177.2 1,729.7 1,230.5 877.8 829.1 807.8
75-84 years 4,907.3 4,839.9 4,617.6 3,883.2 2,983.4 2,247.0 2,175.8 2,112.0
85 years and over 9,950.5 10,135.8 8,818.0 8,958.0 7,558.7 6,560.8 6,157.2 5,939.8
Black or African American malec
All ages, age adjustedb 639.4 615.2 607.3 561.4 485.4 392.5 384.5 371.0
All ages, crude 346.2 330.6 330.3 301.0 256.8 211.1 209.0 206.3
45-54 years 622.5 514.0 512.8 433.4 328.9 247.2 242.6 246.0
55-64 years 1,433.1 1,236.8 1,135.4 987.2 824.0 631.2 602.2 605.3
65-74 years 2,139.1 2,281.4 2,237.8 1,847.2 1,632.9 1,268.8 1,245.8 1,192.7
75-84 yearsd 4,106.1 3,533.6 3,783.4 3,578.8 3,107.1 2,597.6 2,569.3 2,449.6
85 years and over — 6,037.9 5,367.6 6,819.5 6,479.6 5,633.5 5,459.9 5,125.7

toilet. Eventually, they may become incontinent, blind, and unable to communicate. The course of the disease varies widely—some patients die within a few years of diagnosis, while others have lived as long as twenty-five years.

PREVALENCE

In 2002, 58,289 deaths from AD were reported for those age sixty-five and older. (See Table 10.3.) Liesi E. Hebert et al reported in "Alzheimer Disease in the U.S. Population: Prevalence Estimates Using the 2000 Census" (Archives of Neurology, vol. 60,

TABLE 10.4 Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002 [CONTINUED]

TABLE 10.4
Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002 [CONTINUED]
[Data are based on death certificates]
Sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age 1950a 1960a 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002
American Indian or Alaska Native malec Deaths per 100,000 resident population
All ages, age adjustedb — — — 320.5 264.1 222.2 200.7 201.2
All ages, crude — — — 130.6 108.0 90.1 89.1 92.0
45-54 years — — — 238.1 173.8 108.5 109.1 104.2
55-64 years — — — 496.3 411.0 285.0 301.1 273.2
65-74 years — — — 1,009.4 839.1 748.2 682.1 638.4
75-84 years — — — 2,062.2 1,788.8 1,655.7 1,384.5 1,422.7
85 years and over — — — 4,413.7 3,860.3 3,318.3 2,895.7 3,162.4
Asian or Pacific Islander malec
All ages, age adjustedb — — — 286.9 220.7 185.5 169.8 169.8
All ages, crude — — — 119.8 88.7 90.6 87.3 89.4
45-54 years — — — 112.0 70.4 61.1 60.1 60.6
55-64 years — — — 306.7 226.1 182.6 162.0 154.2
65-74 years — — — 852.4 623.5 482.5 439.1 422.4
75-84 years — — — 2,010.9 1,642.2 1,354.7 1,273.8 1,252.4
85 years and over — — — 5,923.0 4,617.8 4,154.2 3,688.1 3,841.3
Hispanic or Latino malec, e
All ages, age adjustedb — — — — 270.0 238.2 232.6 219.8
All ages, crude — — — — 91.0 74.7 74.6 74.0
45-54 years — — — — 116.4 84.3 82.9 80.5
55-64 years — — — — 363.0 264.8 242.2 256.0
65-74 years — — — — 829.9 684.8 683.7 657.7
75-84 years — — — — 1,971.3 1,733.2 1,702.7 1,599.5
85 years and over — — — — 4,711.9 4,897.5 4,784.3 4,301.8
White, not Hispanic or Latino malee
All ages, age adjustedb — — — — 413.6 319.9 304.8 297.7
All ages, crude — — — — 336.5 297.5 289.5 289.2
45-54 years — — — — 172.8 134.3 130.7 133.1
55-64 years — — — — 521.3 356.3 335.8 327.6
65-74 years — — — — 1,243.4 885.1 834.7 813.5
75-84 years — — — — 3,007.7 2,261.9 2,190.4 2,129.9
85 years and over — — — — 7,663.4 6,606.6 6,195.4 5,994.1
White femalec
All ages, age adjustedb 478.0 441.7 376.7 315.9 250.9 205.6 198.7 192.1
All ages, crude 289.4 306.5 313.8 319.2 298.4 274.5 267.7 261.0
45-54 years 141.9 103.4 91.4 71.2 50.2 40.9 41.5 41.7
55-64 years 460.2 383.0 317.7 248.1 192.4 141.3 134.3 130.6
65-74 years 1,400.9 1,229.8 1,044.0 796.7 583.6 445.2 429.0 414.7
75-84 years 3,925.2 3,629.7 3,143.5 2,493.6 1,874.3 1,452.4 1,407.9 1,368.2
85 years and over 9,084.7 9,280.8 7,839.9 7,501.6 6,563.4 5,801.4 5,582.5 5,350.6
Black or African American femalec
All ages, age adjustedb 536.9 488.9 435.6 378.6 327.5 277.6 269.8 263.2
All ages, crude 287.6 268.5 261.0 249.7 237.0 212.6 208.6 205.0
45-54 years 525.3 360.7 290.9 202.4 155.3 125.0 125.9 124.9
55-64 years 1,210.2 952.3 710.5 530.1 442.0 332.8 323.1 312.3
65-74 years 1,659.4 1,680.5 1,553.2 1,210.3 1,017.5 815.2 768.0 734.0
75-84 yearsd 3,499.3 2,926.9 2,964.1 2,707.2 2,250.9 1,913.1 1,849.6 1,821.9
85 years and over — 5,650.0 5,003.8 5,796.5 5,766.1 5,298.7 5,207.3 5,111.2

no. 8, August 2003) that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and the proportion of severe disease increased dramatically with age after age sixty-five. (See Figure 10.1.) While AD can strike as early as the third, fourth, or fifth decade of life, 90% of victims are older than age sixty-five when it becomes apparent.

Hebert and colleagues also noted that the number of people with AD in the U.S. population and their age distribution will change substantially by the mid-twenty-first century. In 2000, 4.5 million people age sixty-five and older were living with AD. By the year 2050 between 11.3 and 16 million people of this age group are expected to be affected with the disease. (See Table 10.8.)

Hebert and colleagues have also determined the percentage change in numbers of people affected by AD expected between 2000 and 2025 in each state (L. E. Hebert et al, "State-Specific Projections through 2025 of Alzheimer Disease Prevalence," Neurology, vol. 62, no. 9, May 2004). The ten states predicted to have the highest numbers of people with AD in 2025—California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Michigan, and New

TABLE 10.4 Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002 [CONTINUED] "Table 36. Death Rates for Diseases of Heart, according to Sex, Race, Hispanic Origin, and Age: United States, Selected Years 1950–2002," in Health, United States, 2005, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, November 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus05.pdf (accessed February 27, 2006)

TABLE 10.4
Death rates for diseases of the heart, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, selected years 1950–2002 [CONTINUED]
[Data are based on death certificates]
Sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age 1950a 1960a 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002
aIncludes deaths of persons who were not residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
bAge-adjusted rates are calculated using the year 2000 standard population.
cThe race groups, white, black, Asian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native, include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Death rates for the American Indian or Alaska Native and Asian or Pacific Islander populations are known to be underestimated.
dIn 1950 rate is for the age group 75 years and over.
ePrior to 1997, excludes data from states lacking an Hispanic-origin item on the death certificate.
Notes: "—"=Data not available. Starting with 2003, rates for 1991–99 were revised using intercensal population estimates based on census 2000. Rates for 2000 were revised based on census 2000 counts. Rates for 2001 and 2002 were computed using 2000-based postcensal estimates. Age groups were selected to minimize the presentation of unstable age-specific death rates based on small numbers of deaths and for consistency among comparison groups.
SOURCE: "Table 36. Death Rates for Diseases of Heart, according to Sex, Race, Hispanic Origin, and Age: United States, Selected Years 1950–2002," in Health, United States, 2005, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, November 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus05.pdf (accessed February 27, 2006)
American Indian or Alaska Native femalec Deaths per 100,000 resident population
All ages, age adjustedb — — — 175.4 153.1 143.6 127.0 123.6
All ages, crude — — — 80.3 77.5 71.9 68.2 68.5
45-54 years — — — 65.2 62.0 40.2 42.7 29.7
55-64 years — — — 193.5 197.0 149.4 126.5 124.3
65-74 years — — — 577.2 492.8 391.8 384.2 365.8
75-84 years — — — 1,364.3 1,050.3 1,044.1 934.3 1,002.5
85 years and over — — — 2,893.3 2,868.7 3,146.3 2,510.3 2,372.5
Asian or Pacific Islander femalec
All ages, age adjustedb — — — 132.3 149.2 115.7 112.9 108.1
All ages, crude — — — 57.0 62.0 65.0 67.9 67.4
45-54 years — — — 28.6 17.5 15.9 18.4 16.4
55-64 years — — — 92.9 99.0 68.8 62.8 61.8
65-74 years — — — 313.3 323.9 229.6 241.7 239.9
75-84 years — — — 1,053.2 1,130.9 866.2 848.7 796.9
85 years and over — — — 3,211.0 4,161.2 3,367.2 3,186.3 3,067.4
Hispanic or Latino femalec, e
All ages, age adjustedb — — — — 177.2 163.7 161.0 149.7
All ages, crude — — — — 79.4 71.5 71.8 69.7
45-54 years — — — — 43.5 28.2 27.9 30.2
55-64 years — — — — 153.2 111.2 107.2 105.7
65-74 years — — — — 460.4 366.3 363.1 346.4
75-84 years — — — — 1,259.7 1,169.4 1,155.7 1,090.8
85 years and over — — — — 4,440.3 4,605.8 4,521.1 4,032.8
White, not Hispanic or Latino femalee
All ages, age adjustedb — — — — 252.6 206.8 200.0 193.7
All ages, crude — — — — 320.0 304.9 298.4 292.3
45-54 years — — — — 50.2 41.9 42.7 42.6
55-64 years — — — — 193.6 142.9 136.0 132.0
65-74 years — — — — 584.7 448.5 431.8 417.4
75-84 years — — — — 1,890.2 1,458.9 1,414.7 1,377.2
85 years and over — — — — 6,615.2 5,822.7 5,601.6 5,384.5

Jersey—are the same ten that had the largest numbers in 2000.

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