DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM (I00-I99)
Deaths caused by Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) accounted for 668 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in 2010, 25.7% of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths. The two most common types of circulatory system diseases that contributed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths were Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25) and Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69).
Ischaemic heart diseases which include angina, blocked arteries of the heart and heart attacks, was the leading cause of death of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, accounting for 349 deaths in 2010 with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians dying at around twice the rate (2.0) of non-Indigenous Australians (179.2 compared with 89.1).
Cerebrovascular disease (I60-I69), which include haemorrhages, strokes, infarctions and blocked arteries of the brain, accounted for 119 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in 2010, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians dying at 1.8 times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians (84.5 and 47.1).