In the week ending Aug. 13, there were 717 deaths in the state. 19.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24.5% were from cancer and 7.4% were from COVID-19.
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.
Indiana top 10 causes of death in week ending Aug. 13
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 176 | 24.5 |
Heart disease | 140 | 19.5 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 59 | 8.2 |
Diabetes mellitus | 31 | 4.3 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 30 | 4.2 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 29 | 4 |
Alzheimer's disease | 27 | 3.8 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 24 | 3.3 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 16 | 2.2 |
Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 1.4 |