Cardio deaths fall
April 19, 2010
CARDIOVASCULAR mortality
rates have dropped significantly in
the last 23 years, with the greatest
declines in stroke and CHD death
rates found amongst Australians
aged between 55 and 74 years.
The statistics, drawn from the
Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare, also found that between
1987 and 2006, rates of
cardiovascular disease including
coronary heart disease, stroke,
heart failure, rheumatic fever and
rheumatic heart disease also
slowed amongst women aged 45-
50 years, and Australians aged
between 35-54 years.
Cautiously optimistic in
welcoming the results, AIHW’s
Anne Broadbent, of the Institute’s
Cardiovascular, Diabetes and
Kidney Unit, said that CVD is still a
leading cause of death in Australia,
and that there “is no room for
complacancy with [the] results”.
MEANWHILE Medicines Australia
has welcomed the results,
attributing the decline in CVD
disease to new and improved
medications.
“One of the key reasons that
Australians are less likely to die
from cardiovascular disease today
compared with 1987 is the range of
cardiovascular medicines that the
pharmaceutical industry has
brought to market over that time”,
said Medicines Australia ceo,
Brendan Shaw.
“This is a classic example of how
new technologies developed by the
pharmaceutical industry have
resulted in people living longer,
healthier lives,” Shaw added.
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