Overview

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes a range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. The most common and serious types of CVD include coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure. CVD remains a major health problem in Australia, despite declining mortality and hospitalisation rates.

Latest findings

More than 1 in 4 deaths were due to cardiovascular disease in 2017 (27% deaths as the underlying cause) Indigenous Australians had CVD hospitalisation and death rates almost twice the rate of non-Indigenous Australians CVD accounted for almost 14% of Australia's total burden of disease in 2015 There were more than 1 million hospitalisations for cardiovascular disease in 2016–17 (11% of all hospitalisations) Cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates were 30% higher in Remote and very remote areas than Major Cities More than four in five (83%) cardiovascular disease hospitalisations occurred in those aged 55 years and over

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Highlights

1.2 millionAustralian adults had 1 or more heart or vascular conditions, including stroke, in 2017–18, based on self-reported data
1.1 millionhospitalisations were associated with CVD (principal and/or additional diagnosis) in 2016–17— 11% of all hospitalisations in Australia
Remote and very remoteareas had CVD hospitalisation and death rates that were more than 30% higher than Major cities
CVDaccounted for almost 14% of Australia’s total burden of disease in 2015.
27%of deaths in 2017 had CVD as the underlying cause of death— 43,000 deaths
Indigenous Australianshad CVD hospitalisation and death rates that were almost twice as high as non-Indigenous Australians
The lowest socioeconomicareas had CVD hospitalisation and death rates 20% and 50% higher (respectively) than the highest socioeconomic areas