Hawkeye Reporter

There were 108 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Iowa in the week ending May 22, making up 20.8 percent of total deaths by all causes in Iowa, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 22, there were 518 deaths in the state. 20.8 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.3 percent were from cancer and 6 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.4 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Heart disease	108	20.8
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	105	20.3
Alzheimer's disease	28	5.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	26	5
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	22	4.2
Diabetes mellitus	21	4.1
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	18	3.5
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	13	2.5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.9

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	54	10.4