Economics
U.S. Life Expectancy Takes an Opioid Hit: Demographic Trends
- Deaths from drug overdoses topped 70,000; suicide rate up 3.7%
- The 10 leading causes of death remained the same last year
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U.S. life expectancy has fallen again, according to the Centers for Disease Control on 2017 deaths. The decline is driven by an increase in deaths from drug overdoses, suicides, diabetes, and influenza and pneumonia.
Overall, heart disease and cancer remain the two leading causes of death. Unintentional injuries, a category that includes drug overdoses, is the third leading cause of death.