DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Diseases of the circulatory system comprise a wide range of conditions such as hypertensive disease, ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, oedema, and heart failure.

In 2014-15, 18.3% of Australians (or around 4.2 million people) reported having a disease of the circulatory system. This was in increase from 16.9% in 2011-12.

Of people who reported having a disease of the circulatory system, 72.9% had consulted a GP, 23.2% had consulted a specialist and 10.2% had consulted an other type of health professional in the last 12 months.

Around 1 in 10 (8.1%) people with a disease of the circulatory system took time off work or school/study in the last 12 months due to their condition.

Almost all people aged 18 years and over with a disease of the circulatory system had had their blood pressure checked in the last 12 months (90.1%) and three-quarters (75.6%) had had their cholesterol checked in the last 12 months.





Almost three-quarters of all people with a disease of the circulatory system (72.3%) reported taking some type of cardiovascular system medication in the last 2 weeks. The most common cardiovascular medications taken by people with a disease of the circulatory system were 'lipid modifying agents' (including Statins) (35.6%), 'angiotensin II antagonists, plain' (19.0%), 'beta blocking agents' (18.3%) and 'ACE inhibitors, plain' (17.7%).