Stroke in Australia
Recent releases
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Health care expenditure on cardiovascular diseases 2004-05 (5 December 2008) (media release and publication)
Cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2004-05 (5 June 2008) (media release and publication)
Popular titles
 Australia's welfare 2009 |
 Australia's health 2008 |
What is stroke?
Stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is suddenly blocked or bleeds. As a result, brain function may be lost and activities such as movement, thinking and communication may be impaired.
Key facts
| Prevalence -
number of Australians who have had a stroke at some time in their lives 2003 |
346,700 |
|---|---|
| Hospitalisations in 2006-07 | 34,476 |
| Deaths in 2006 | 8,484 |
Did you know?
- Falls in death rates from cerebrovascular disease (mostly stroke) have occurred in Australia since the 1970s. Age-standardised cerebrovascular disease death rates fell by 37% in males and 32% in females between 1996 and 2006.
- Older people are more likely to have a stroke: 80% of Australians who have had a stroke are 60 years or over.
- More women than men have a stroke and die from stroke.
- About 146,400 Australians had a disability in 2003 that was mainly attributed to stroke.
More information
Publications showing detailed statistics (free full text)
Deaths from stroke (opens in Microsoft Excel)
Hospitalisations from stroke (hospital data cubes)
Risk factors for stroke