Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has released her office’s Annual Report for 2016.

The report documents the mortality patterns of the county. It shows heart disease – which is a top cause of death statewide and nationally – to be the leading reason for natural deaths in the county. Cancer ranked second. Drug overdoses were the second-leading cause of accidental deaths, behind traffic crashes.

Of the traffic fatalities, 51 percent were on two-lane roads. Most traffic deaths occurred in the early-morning hours. Of the 45 traffic deaths, 30 of the victims had either Codeine and Metabolites (10) in their system or Fentanyl and Metabolites (20.) Only three were alcohol-related, according to Fisher’s report.

There were five: drowning/hypothermia deaths; four from gunshot wounds; and four from fire.

There were 1,631 natural deaths in the county in 2016. And there were 128 were accidental deaths, 16 homicides and 57 suicides. In seven cases, the cause of death was undetermined, according to the report.

The leading cause of death in the county was heart disease accounting for 498 fatalities, followed by cancer which accounted for 364 deaths. The third cause of death was Alzheimer’s/dementia at 252.

The leading cause of accidental deaths were vehicle deaths. There were 45 of those, followed by overdose deaths at 44. Of the overdose deaths, 65 percent were the result of opiod use. Falls were the third cause of accidental death. There were 20 of those with the average age of the person who fell at 77.5..

Other causes were: Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases: 145; Cerebrovascular Diseases / Strokes: 88; Nephritis / Nephrosis / Kidney Disease: 67; Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis: 43; Influenza and Pneumonia 35; Septicemia: 25; Short Gestation / Congenital Anomalies: 18; Gastrointestinal Conditions: 17; Diabetes Mellitus: 11; 213 HIV: 1; Other: 67.

The average age for natural death was 74.6 years old, with the oldest being 103.

Other notes from the coroner’s report.

The Lexington County Coroner’s Office is responsible for the entire county of Lexington, which is located in the Central Midlands region of South Carolina. The population of Lexington County, per the U.S. Census Bureau estimate, was 281,833 in 2015, making it the 6th most populated of South Carolina’s 46 counties.

From 2010 to 2015, Lexington County experienced the seventh highest population increase of SC counties with the addition of 19,442 citizens.

The cities and towns within Lexington County include Lexington (county seat), Batesburg-Leesville, Cayce, Chapin, Gaston, Gilbert, Irmo, Pelion, South Congaree, Swansea, West Columbia, and a portion of Columbia.