Leading Causes of Death for 73-Year-Olds

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As we age, our bodies experience different changes that can increase our susceptibility to various health issues. At 73 years old, the leading causes of death can differ from those in our earlier years. The good news is that there are preventive measures we can take to minimize these risks and promote a healthier lifestyle. In this article, we'll explore some of the top causes of death for 73-year-olds and ways to maintain good health as we age. (Note: See here for 72-year-old causes of death or here for the most common causes of death for 74-year-olds.)

Leading Causes of Death for 73-Year-Olds (2021 CDC Data)

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease21,059
Cancer19,782
COVID-1911,465
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease4,604
Diabetes3,025
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)2,040
Alzheimer's Disease1,511
Kidney Disease1,445
Septicemia1,167
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)1,062
Parkinson's Disease994
Flu (Non-COVID)946
Suicide485
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids460
Nutritional Deficiency279
Gallbladder Disorder138
Anemias137
Enterocolitis117
Peptic Ulcer100
Viral Hepatitis67
HIV41
Homicide35
Hernia30
Congenital Malformations28

Based on the 2021 CDC data, the three leading causes of death for 73-year-olds are heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19. A total of 21,059 deaths were reported due to heart disease, which is not surprising since it has been the leading cause of death in the United States for many years. Cancer followed closely behind with 19,782 deaths, while COVID-19 caused 11,465 deaths.

The fourth leading cause of death for 73-year-olds was chronic lower respiratory disease with 4,604 deaths, and diabetes was fifth with 3,025 deaths. Accidents, including overdoses, were the sixth leading cause of death with 2,040 deaths. Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, septicemia, and liver disease were also among the top causes of death.

Interestingly, Parkinson’s disease was the eleventh leading cause of death with 994 deaths. The flu (non-COVID) caused 946 deaths while suicide resulted in 485 deaths. Other notable causes of death included pneumonitis due to solids and liquids, nutritional deficiency, and gallbladder disorder.

It’s worth noting that some causes of death, such as HIV and homicide, were relatively rare, with only 41 and 35 deaths respectively. And there were only 28 deaths due to congenital malformations.

Overall, this data highlights the importance of maintaining good health and taking proactive steps to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It also emphasizes the importance of following public health guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19.

Top Causes of Death for Age 73 Men

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Heart Disease12,556
Cancer10,931
COVID-196,716
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,329
Diabetes1,749
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)1,297
Kidney Disease811
Parkinson's Disease675
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)621
Septicemia600
Alzheimer's Disease589
Flu (Non-COVID)527
Suicide400
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids285
Nutritional Deficiency146
Gallbladder Disorder80
Anemias71
Enterocolitis60
Peptic Ulcer50
HIV41
Homicide35
Viral Hepatitis31
Hernia30
Congenital Malformations28

When looking at the top causes of death for 73-year-old men, we see that heart disease is still the leading cause, with 12,556 deaths reported. Cancer follows closely behind with 10,931 deaths, which echoes the same data for the overall population. COVID-19 has caused 6,716 deaths among 73-year-old male individuals so far, which is also the third leading cause. The fourth leading cause of death for men was chronic lower respiratory disease with 2,329 deaths, followed by diabetes with 1,749 deaths.

Accidents, including overdoses, caused 1,297 deaths, while kidney disease resulted in 811 deaths. Parkinson’s disease was the eighth leading cause with 675 deaths, while liver disease came in ninth with 621 deaths. Alzheimer’s disease, the eleventh leading cause of death, caused 589 deaths, while flu (non-COVID) resulted in 527 deaths.

Suicide caused 400 deaths among 73-year-old men, and pneumonitis due to solids and liquids caused 285 deaths. There were 146 deaths due to nutritional deficiency and 80 deaths due to gallbladder disorder. Anemias and enterocolitis accounted for 71 and 60 deaths, respectively. Peptic ulcer caused 50 deaths, while viral hepatitis, homicide, hernia, and congenital malformations resulted in 31, 35, 30, and 28 deaths, respectively.

In conclusion, heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of death for 73-year-old men, followed by COVID-19, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes. Accidents, kidney disease, and neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease also contributed significantly to mortality in this population.

Common Causes of Death for 73-Year-Old Women

Cause of DeathTotal Deaths
Cancer8,851
Heart Disease8,503
COVID-194,749
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2,275
Diabetes1,276
Alzheimer's Disease922
Accidents (Incl. Overdoses)743
Kidney Disease634
Septicemia567
Liver Disease (incl. Cirrhosis)441
Flu (Non-COVID)419
Parkinson's Disease319
Pneumonitis Due To Solids & Liquids175
Nutritional Deficiency133
Suicide85
Anemias66
Gallbladder Disorder58
Enterocolitis57
Peptic Ulcer50
Viral Hepatitis36

Looking at the 2021 CDC mortality data for 73-year-old women, cancer and heart disease were the two leading causes of death, accounting for 8,851 and 8,503 deaths respectively. COVID-19 was the third leading cause with 4,749 deaths. Chronic lower respiratory disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and accidents were also responsible for a significant number of deaths among this demographic.

Kidney disease, septicemia, liver disease, and Parkinson’s disease were among the top causes of death as well. The data also showed that women in this age group were at risk for nutritional deficiencies, with 133 deaths reported due to this condition. Suicide and viral hepatitis were comparatively less common causes of death among 73-year-old women.

Overall, this data underscores the importance of taking preventative measures to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, which are not only the two leading causes of death but also cause significant morbidity among this age group.