LOOK: CDC Releases Top 5 Causes of Death in the US

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently released the five leading cause of death in the United States, among people under the age of 80, in 2014.

Under the new list of CDC, heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, with about 614,348 deaths in 2014. Trailing not far behind from heart disease is cancer with 591,699. While the number of deaths due to heart disease has consistently been higher than the number of deaths due to cancer, the mortality burden of cancer has surpassed heart disease in 22 states.

During the 2011 to 2014 period, the number of deaths caused by heart disease has increased by 3.0 percent, from 596,577 to 614,348. On the other hand, the number of deaths caused by cancer has increased by 2.6 percent, from 576,691 in 2011 to 591,699 in 2014.

From a peak of 771,169 in 1985, the number of deaths caused by heart attack has decreased in 2014. However, cancer deaths have nearly tripled from 210,733 in 1950.

Following heart disease and cancer are chronic lower respiratory diseases with 147,101, accidents or unintentional injuries with 136,053 and stroke with 133,103.

The top five causes of deaths were responsible for nearly two-thirds of deaths in the U.S. Some of the deaths recorded in the list can easily preventable. These include about 30 percent deaths due to heart disease, 15 percent due to cancer, 28 percent due to stroke, 36 percent due to chronic lower respiratory disease and 43 percent due to accidents.

"Fewer Americans are dying young from preventable causes of death," said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, as per Chicago Tribune. "Tragically, deaths from overdose are increasing because of the opioid epidemic, and there are still large differences between states in all preventable causes of death, indicating that many more lives can be saved through use of prevention and treatment available today."

Other diseases or conditions that made it to the top ten leading causes of death in the US include Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes, Influenza and Pneumonia, Nephritis and Suicide.