Hypertension in Australia

In this section, hypertensive disease refers to conditions associated with hypertension namely essential/primary hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, hypertensive kidney disease, hypertensive heart and kidney disease and secondary hypertension, as identified by the ICD-10 codes I10-I13 and I15. Hypertension refers to primary hypertension unless otherwise specified. 

How many deaths are associated with hypertensive disease?

According to the National Mortality Database, hypertensive disease contributed to around 24,700 deaths (13% of all deaths) in 2023, a rate of 93 deaths per 100,000 population. Of all deaths associated with hypertensive disease, it was recorded as an underlying cause for 11% of these deaths (10 deaths per 100,000 population).

Where hypertensive disease was listed as the underlying and/or associated cause of death:

• 93% was attributed to primary hypertension 
• 7.5% to hypertensive heart disease
• 2.1% to hypertensive kidney disease
• 2.6% to hypertensive heart and kidney disease
• 0.9% to secondary hypertension.

Note that an individuals could have more than one of the hypertensive disease sub-types recorded.

Examining only the underlying cause of death can underestimate the impact of hypertension on mortality as hypertension is often less likely to be recorded as the underlying cause of death. For example, hypertension was the most common contributory cause of death in 2023 even though it was not among the leading underlying causes of death (AIHW 2025). Evidence shows that deaths associated with hypertension are often under-reported on death certificates because it is perceived as a risk factor, rather than as a cause of death (Adair et al. 2024).

Variation by age and sex

In 2023, death rates for hypertensive disease (as the underlying and/or associated cause):

• increased with age, with nearly half (49%) of hypertensive disease deaths occurring in people aged 85 and over (2,100 per 100,000 population).
• were 1.3 times as high for males as females overall, after adjusting for age.
• were higher among males than females for most age groups, except for those aged 85 and over (Figure 23).

Trends

Between 2011 and 2023, the age-standardised mortality rates for hypertensive disease (as the underlying and/or associated cause):

• decreased by about 10% from 74 to 67 per 100,000 population, respectively (Figure 24). This decline was driven mainly by a 15% decrease in the mortality rates for females.
• were consistently 1.1 to 1.3 times as high among males as females, across the years.

Variation by priority population groups

Remoteness area

In 2023, after adjusting for differences in the age structure of the populations, hypertensive disease death rates (as the underlying and/or associated cause) increased with the level of remoteness with rates being 1.7 times as high for people living in Remote and very remote areas as those in Major cities (Figure 25). Death rates were higher among males than females across all remoteness areas.

Socioeconomic area

In 2023, hypertensive disease death rates (as the underlying and/or associated cause) increased with socioeconomic disadvantage. The age-standardised death rate was 1.8 times as high among people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas as those living in the highest socioeconomic areas (Figure 25). Death rates were higher among males than females across all socioeconomic areas.

For information about First Nations people, see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people.

Diseases commonly associated with hypertensive disease deaths

Where hypertensive disease was listed as the underlying cause of death in 2023, common associated causes of death include heart failure and complications and ill-defined heart disease, other ill-defined causes, kidney failure and cardiac arrhythmias (Table 1).

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database.

Hypertensive disease associated with other causes of death

The most common underlying cause of death where hypertensive disease is listed as the associated cause in 2023 include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and dementia including Alzheimer's disease (Table 2).

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database.