Pelican State News

There were 23 deaths from nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis reported in Louisiana in the week ending July 10, making up 2.6 percent of total deaths by all causes in Louisiana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 10, there were 870 deaths in the state. 26.6 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.3 percent were from cancer and 5.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.4 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	231	26.6
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	185	21.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	42	4.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	42	4.8
Alzheimer's disease	36	4.1
Diabetes mellitus	29	3.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	24	2.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	23	2.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	23	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	56	6.4