Big Sky Times

There were 54 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Montana in the week ending July 8, making up 26.1% of total deaths by all causes in Montana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 8, there were 207 deaths in the state. 26.1% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 14.5% were from cancer Additionally, 9.2% 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
Heart disease	54	26.1
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	30	14.5
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	13	6.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4.8
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 4.8
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 4.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 4.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	19	9.2