Peach Tree Times

There were 338 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Georgia in the week ending July 31, making up 18.6 percent of total deaths by all causes in Georgia, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 31, there were 1,819 deaths in the state. 18.6 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.9 percent were from cancer and 12 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.7 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
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	381	20.9
Heart disease	338	18.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	116	6.4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	103	5.7
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	87	4.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	81	4.5
Alzheimer's disease	73	4
Diabetes mellitus	55	3
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	48	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	32	1.8

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	159	8.7