Highlights

  • Cardiovascular diseases are the most expensive group of diseases in Australia in terms of direct health care expenditure. Cardiovascular diseases were responsible for 11% of total allocated health system expenditure - $5.48 billion in 2000-01.
  • Hospital services accounted for nearly half of all health services expenditure for cardiovascular diseases, followed by pharmaceuticals (26%), medical services provided out of hospital (14%) and aged care homes (10%).
  • Between 1993-94 and 2000-01, inflation-adjusted expenditure for cardiovascular diseases increased by 28%.