Cardiovascular disease continues to be one of Australia's major
killers, although death rates are falling across all age groups for
both men and women, according to an Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare report to be released today.
Surveillance of Cardiovascular Mortality in Australia 1985-1996
shows that heart attacks, strokes and related diseases, accounted
for almost 54,000 (42%) of all deaths in 1996. According to the
report's co-author, Sushma Mathur, cardiovascular disease now
accounts for fewer deaths per million population compared to the
1980s.
'Between 1985 and 1996 death rates from cardiovascular disease
have fallen by 3.7% per year for men and 3.6% per year for women.
The 45 to 59 year age group experienced the most rapid decline of
more than 6% per year,' Ms Mathur said.
'However, large numbers of Australians remain at a high risk of
cardiovascular disease through smoking cigarettes, having high
blood pressure and cholesterol, being overweight and not doing
enough exercise.'
The report also shows that Indigenous Australians die from
cardiovascular diseases at twice the rate of non-Indigenous
Australians.
'In the 25 to 64 age group, Indigenous Australians had
cardiovascular death rates of 6 and 9 times higher than that of
non-Indigenous men and women,' Ms Mathur said.
'Cardiovascular death rates among Indigenous women have fallen
at a rate of 5.2% per year during 1991 to 1996, but there has been
no improvement in those rates among Indigenous men.
'There are no large differences in cardiovascular mortality
between people living in urban, rural and remote areas in
Australia.'
Other finding in the report include:
- Coronary heart disease continues to account for the majority of
cardiovascular disease deaths (55%) although coronary death rates
are declining by 4% per year for men and 3.6% per year for
women.
- Stroke is the second leading cause of death from cardiovascular
disease (24%) accounting for 12,800 deaths in 1996, and the death
rate has been falling at a rate of 3.4% for men and 3.8% for
women.
- Among the States and Territories, death rates from
cardiovascular disease are highest in the Northern Territory and
Tasmania and lowest in the Australian Capital Territory and Western
Australia.
- Across the States and Territories, rates of decline for
cardiovascular disease are consistently between 3-4% per year,
except in the Northern Territory where the fall in rates is slower.
The Northern Territory has a large proportion of Indigenous people
whose rates of decline are considerably lower in the 25-64 age
group.
27 November 1998
Further information: Sushma Mathur, ph. 02 6244
1171, or Indra Gajanayake, ph. 02 6244 1128.
For media copies of the report: Lena Searle, ph.
02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.