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.

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Latest findings

591,000 hospitalisations with CVD as principal diagnosis in 2018–19 (5.2% of all hospitalisations)

CVD was the underlying cause of 42,300 deaths (25% of all deaths) in 2019

38,600 stroke events in 2018—more than 100 every day

The highest chronic kidney disease hospitalisation rate by Population Health Area was 23 times the national average

Self-reported heart, stroke and vascular disease rates ranged from 2.9% to 8.4% across Primary Health Networks

By Primary Health Network, type 2 diabetes rates were generally higher in regional than in metropolitan areas

Highlights

6.2%of adults (1.2 million) had 1 or more conditions related to heart, stroke or vascular disease in 2017–18
38,600 stroke events in 2018—more than 100 every day
CVDwas the underlying cause of 42,300 deaths (25% of all deaths) in 2019
107 million PBS prescriptionsfor cardiovascular medicines (35% of total) in 2019–20
58,700acute coronary events (heart attack or unstable angina) among people aged 25 and over in 2018—around 161 every day
591,000hospitalisations with CVD as principal diagnosis in 2018–19 (5.2% of all hospitalisations)
57% of adultshad 3 or more key modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in 2014–18
CVD accounted for almost 13% of total burden of disease in 2018—third behind cancer and muskuloskeletal conditions