Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

HEART DISEASE

Heart, stroke and vascular disease encompasses a range of circulatory conditions including ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, oedema, heart failure, and diseases of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries. Most commonly this group of conditions is referred to under the broader term of 'heart disease' (or 'cardiovascular disease'). Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and therefore an emphasis has been placed around preventing its onset through modifying risk factors such as healthy eating, exercise and avoidance of smoking.

Data source and definitions Data on heart disease refers to persons who reported having been told by a doctor or nurse that they had any of a range of circulatory conditions including ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, oedema, heart failure, and diseases of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries and that it was current and long-term; that is, their condition was current at the time of interview and had lasted, or was expected to last, 6 months or more. More accurate information on the number of people with heart disease based on measured levels of blood lipids such as total cholesterol will be available upon release of results from the National Health Measures Survey in 2013.

In 2011-12, 4.7% of Australians (1.0 million people) reported they had heart disease, a decrease from 2007-08 where 5.2% of Australians (1.1 million people) had heart disease.

The proportion of people with heart disease increased steadily with age, with more than one quarter (27.7%) of all Australians aged 75 years and over having heart disease, and is more common amongst men (5.1%) than women (4.3%).





For information on measured blood pressure in the Australian Health Survey, see Blood pressure.

• Also see Tables 1, 2 and 3 in Australian Health Survey: First Results 2011–13
• For information on how heart disease data was collected, see the Australian Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2011-13
• For information on other long-term health conditions, see Long-term health conditions

Previous results for heart disease

National Health Survey 2007–08, 2004–05, 2001, 1995
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2004-05

Other articles on heart disease

Causes of Death, Australia, 2010: Circulatory diseases and cancers
The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2008: Health conditions and illness
Australian Social Trends, 2007: Selected chronic conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Cardiovascular Disease in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05
Health of Older People in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05
Changes in health: A snapshot, 2004-05
Australian Social Trends, 2002: Mortality and Morbidity: Cardiovascular disease: 20th century trends


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