Show-Me State Times

There were 50 deaths from Alzheimer's disease reported in Missouri in the week ending May 1, making up 4.3 percent of total deaths by all causes in Missouri, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 1, there were 1,164 deaths in the state. 22.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.3 percent were from cancer and 9.3 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9 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	259	22.3
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	248	21.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	63	5.4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	58	5
Cerebrovascular diseases	57	4.9
Alzheimer's disease	50	4.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	50	4.3
Diabetes mellitus	40	3.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	30	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	14	1.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	105	9