Rushmore State News

There were 22 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in South Dakota in the week ending Dec. 24, making up 16.9% of total deaths by all causes in South Dakota, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Dec. 24, there were 130 deaths in the state. 16.9% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18.5% were from cancer and less than 7.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 13.8% 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)	24	18.5
Heart disease	22	16.9
Cerebrovascular diseases	12	9.2
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	11	8.5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 7.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 7.7
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 7.7
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 7.7
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 7.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 7.7

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	18	13.8