Tweet Facebook Mail Coronary heart disease played a role in the deaths of almost 40,000 Australians in 2022, more than any other cause. According to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the condition contributed to 20 per cent of all fatalities – a total of 38,273 – although it also said multiple causes were at play in four out of every five deaths. "Understanding what Australians die from is complex and the answer can vary, depending on how we assess the conditions involved," AIHW spokesperson Michelle Gourley said.
READ MORE: Why RBA says early rate cut 'won't be good' news for households While coronary heart disease was involved in the most deaths, dementia was not far behind at 18.3 per cent, followed by high blood pressure (12.5 per cent), cerebrovascular diseases (11.
5 per cent) and diabetes (11.4 per cent). Lower respiratory infections, (8 per cent), cardiac/respiratory arrest (7 per cent) and sepsis (6 per cent) were the most common "direct" causes – the factors that ultimately ended someone's life.
The report looked at all factors listed on death certificates, not just the underlying cause. "Traditionally, statistics about how people die are based primarily on the initiating or 'underlying' cause of death, but death certificates also contain other information that can be useful in understanding why a death occurred," Gourley said. READ MORE: Australia 'potentially on the path to recession' Coronary heart disease was .
