The Sconi

There were 222 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Wisconsin in the week ending May 22, making up 21.9 percent of total deaths by all causes in Wisconsin, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 22, there were 1,016 deaths in the state. 21.9 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23 percent were from cancer and 5.9 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.3 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)	234	23
Heart disease	222	21.9
Cerebrovascular diseases	44	4.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	38	3.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	36	3.5
Alzheimer's disease	30	3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	24	2.4
Diabetes mellitus	19	1.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	15	1.5
Influenza and pneumonia	10	1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	84	8.3