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OVERVIEW

Ranking causes of death is a useful method of describing patterns of mortality in a population. It allows comparison over time and between populations. However, different methods of grouping causes of death can result in a vastly different list of leading causes for any given population. For this reason ABS ranks leading causes of death in this publication based on research presented in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Volume 84, Number 4, April 2006, 297-304. For further information see Explanatory Notes 46-48.

In 2010, the leading underlying cause of death for all Australians was Ischaemic heart disease (I20-I25), which includes angina, blocked arteries of the heart and heart attacks. Ischaemic heart diseases were identified as the underlying cause of 21,708 deaths, 15.1% of all deaths registered in 2010. While Ischaemic heart diseases have been the leading cause of death in Australia since 2000, the proportion of deaths due to this cause has decreased, from 20.4% (26,234) in 2001 to 15.1% (21,708) in 2010.

Cerebrovascular disease (I60-I69) have remained the second leading underlying cause of death in 2010. Cerebrovascular disease include haemorrhages, strokes, infarctions and blocked arteries of the brain. Over the last 10 years, deaths due to this cause have decreased by 7.8%, from 12,146 deaths in 2001 to 11,204 deaths in 2010.

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease (F01, F03, G30) was the third leading cause of death in 2010. The number of deaths due to this cause has increased 140.7% from 3,740 in 2001 to 9,003 in 2010. This is largely due to an increase in deaths due to Dementia (F01, F03), which increased from 2,133 in 2001 to 6,297 in 2010. For further information see Explanatory Note 90.

Trachea and lung cancers (C33-C34) were the fourth leading cause of death in 2010. Over the last 10 years, deaths due to this cause have increased by 15.1%, from 7,038 in 2001 to 8,099 in 2010.

The top 10 leading causes of death accounted for 52.2% of all deaths registered in 2010, and the top 20 leading causes accounted for 67.3%.

2.1 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Australia - Selected years - 2001, 2005, 2010(b)
	2001		2005		2010
Cause of death and ICD code	no.	Rank	no.	Rank	no.	Rank
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)	26 234	1	23 570	1	21 708	1
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)	12 146	2	11 513	2	11 204	2
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)	3 740	6	4 653	5	9 003	3
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)	7 038	3	7 399	3	8 099	4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)	5 916	4	5 428	4	6 122	5
Colon,sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)	4 745	5	4 171	6	4 056	6
Diabetes (E10-E14)	3 078	9	3 529	8	3 945	7
Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96)	3 660	7	3 614	7	3 933	8
Heart failure (I50-I51)	3 128	8	2 739	12	3 468	9
Diseases of the urinary system (N00-N39)	2 741	10	2 948	10	3 315	10
Prostate Cancer (C61)	2 711	11	2 946	11	3 235	11
Breast cancer (C50)	2 612	13	2 736	13	2 864	12
Pancreatic cancer (C25)	1 809	16	2 018	15	2 434	13
Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18)	2 702	12	3 034	9	2 364	14
Intentional self-harm (X60-X84)(c)	2 454	14	2 101	14	2 359	15
Skin cancers (C43-C44)	1 458	17	1 678	16	1 897	16
Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)	1 223	19	1 445	18	1 734	17
Accidental falls (W00-W19)	634	38	996	28	1 648	18
Cirrhosis and other diseases of liver (K70-K77)	1 196	21	1 427	19	1 592	19
Cardiac arrhythmias (I47-I49)	975	24	1 265	20	1 535	20
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2010, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 46-48 for further information.
(b) See Explanatory Notes 89-104 for further information on specific issues relating to 2010 data.
(c) Excludes Sequelae of suicide (Y87.0) as per the WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 98-101.