Death rates from cardiovascular disease are declining, but it
still claims the lives of 55,000 Australians a year, according to a
report to be released on Friday by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare.
Reporting from a national system established to monitor
cardiovascular disease and its impact, Surveillance of
Cardiovascular Mortality Australia, 1983-1994 provides a
detailed statistical profile for cardiovascular disease and its
major components for Australia and for each State and
Territory.
'Coronary heart disease and stroke alone claimed 43,000 deaths
in 1994,' Dr Indra Gajanayake one of the report's authors said.
'Far too many Australians remain at a high risk of cardiovascular
disease through cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, being overweight and lack of exercise.'
Dr Gajanayake said that while cardiovascular disease is still a
big killer, it is causing fewer deaths per million population now
compared to the early 1980s.
'Death rates from cardiovascular disease have declined annually
by 3.5% in males and 3.2% in females, and more rapidly than death
rates from all causes which are declining annually at 1.9% for
males and 1.6% for females.' she said.
Coronary heart disease continues to account for the majority of
deaths from cardiovascular disease and death rates are declining by
3.7% annually in males and 2.9% in females.
Other findings in the report include:
- Death rates from cardiovascular diseases are declining in all
age groups, but the decline is most rapid in the age range
35-69.
- Among the States and Territories, death rates from
cardiovascular disease are highest in the Northern Territory and
Tasmania, and lowest in the ACT for males, and Western Australia
for females.
- Death rates from stroke are declining at 4% per year among
males and females.
- The Northern Territory is not experiencing the same declines in
mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke as elsewhere in
Australia.
- 'The high death rates in the Northern Territory mainly reflect
the higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people in the Territory compared with the rest of Australia,' Dr
Gajanayake said. 'Death rates from cardiovascular diseases are
known to be three to four times higher for Indigenous people
compared to non-Indigenous people.'
- According to Dr Gajanayake, if current trends continue,
Australian death rates for premature mortality from coronary heart
disease will be close to the national targets set for the year
2000.
2 May 1997
Further information:Dr Indra Gajanayake, ph. 02
6244 1128, or Dr Stan Bennett, ph. 02 6244 1141 or 04 1923 9582
(mobile).
General media liaison:Lyn Elliott, ph. 02 6244
1034.
For media copies of the report (194 pp):Chris
Finnegan, ph. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.