Big Sky Times

There were 49 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Montana in the week ending Nov. 5, making up 21.4% of total deaths by all causes in Montana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Nov. 5, there were 229 deaths in the state. 21.4% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23.6% were from cancer and less than 4.4% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.9% of deaths were from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	54	23.6
Heart disease	49	21.4
Diabetes mellitus	10	4.4
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4.4
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 4.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 4.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 4.4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 4.4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 4.4

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	18	7.9