Summary

Cardiovascular disease was the major cause of death among Australians in 1993, accounting for 53,240 registered deaths or 43.8% of deaths from all causes.

Over 63,000 person years of life were lost before age 65 as a result of cardiovascular disease in ).993.

Coronary heart disease was the major form of cardiovascular death in 1993 with 29,762 registered deaths. It accounted for 55.9% of all cardiovascular disease deaths and 24.5% of deaths from all causes.

Almost 36,000 person years of life were lost before age 65 as a result of coronary heart disease in 1993.

Cerebrovascular disease, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease were also major causes of cardiovascular mortality among Australians in 1993.

Death rates from cardiovascular disease, and its manifestations, tended to be higher for males than females in 1993, however the differentials in death rates between the sexes declined with increasing age.

For men aged 25-54 years in 1985-87, cardiovascular disease death rates decreased as occupation classification changed from 'blue collar' to 'professional', and as occupational prestige changed from low prestige to high prestige.

Cardiovascular disease death rates in 1985-87 rose as level of socioeconomic disadvantage increased for men and women aged 25 years and over.

Men and women aged 25 years and over in 1985-87 who were born overseas had significantly lower cardiovascular disease death rates than their Australian-born counterparts.

Death rates from cardiovascular disease among Australian men and women have declined rapidly since the late 1960's. Over the period 1981-92, the average annual rates of decline in death rates from all cardiovascular disease were 3.8% for males and 3.3% for females.

Despite the declines in cardiovascular mortality in recent decades, Australia still compares unfavourably with many other countries. This is particularly true for coronary heart disease for which death rates among Australian men and women in 1990 were higher than for many other developed countries.