68 people die in South Carolina from cerebrovascular disease in week ending August 14

There were 68 deaths with cerebrovascular disease listed as the underlying cause reported in South Carolina during the week ending August 14, a 78.9 percent increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending August 14, there were 1,263 deaths in the state. 18.7 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 15.4 percent were from cancer and 28.5 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8 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.