Key statistics: Heart disease
Statistics and information on heart disease in Australia
2 min read
- The information on our Key Statistics pages is drawn from a variety of reputable sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
- These pages are intended to be a helpful resource for anyone seeking reliable information on cardiovascular disease in Australia, including consumers, researchers, healthcare policy makers, media and health professionals.
Heart diseases
Heart diseases is a broad term for conditions that affect the structure and function of the heart.
It includes coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, valve disease and heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias).
Explore the statistics relating to heart diseases below.
Deaths¹
Heart disease kills one person every 18 minutes, equating to on average, 79 persons dying of heart disease every day.
This accounts for nearly one in five (17.1%) of all deaths, with more males dying of heart disease than females, each year.
Deaths from heart disease have been decreasing over the last 10 years.
Hospitalisations²
Someone is hospitalised for heart disease every 80 seconds, equating to a total of 1,112 people per day, on average.
Forty-six per cent more men than women are hospitalised due to heart disease, with hospitalisations due to heart disease remaining relatively steady over time.
Links to other Key Statistics topics:
Key statistics: Coronary heart disease
Statistics and information on coronary heart disease in Australia.
Key statistics: Cardiovascular disease
Statistics and information on cardiovascular disease in Australia.
Key statistics: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease
There are many different risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease.
References
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, Causes of death 2022, cat. No. 3303.0, October.
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020, National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD) 2021-22.
Last updated30 November 2023