Fewer people are dying young from preventable causes of death in the United States but heart disease remains at the top of the list of most probable killers, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said.

The federal agency named heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases like asthma, and accidents, as the five leading causes of death among U.S. people under age 80 in 2014.

Nearly 66 per cent of deaths in the country were caused by the aforementioned diseases or conditions. The federal agency also noted that several of those deaths were preventable.

According to Dr. Frieden, 30 per cent of heart disease deaths, 36 per cent of chronic lower respiratory disease deaths, 15 per cent of cancer deaths, 28 per cent of stroke deaths, and 43 per cent of deaths caused by accidents were preventable.

However, there were drops in 3 of those 5 leading causes of preventable deaths between 2010 and 2014. Dr. Frieden noted that fewer Americans are now dying young from causes of death that are preventable.

Speaking on the topic, Frieden added, “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.”

Dr. Frieden suggested that healthcare providers can help prevent premature deaths by counseling people on giving up smoking, protecting against diseases like heart disease and stroke, and avoiding accidental injuries.