Australia’s Leading Causes of Death Revealed: Coronary Heart Disease Tops the List

Coronary heart disease was the leading cause of death in Australia in 2022, contributing to nearly 40,000 fatalities, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The condition was involved in 20% of all deaths, totalling 38,273 cases, but the report also highlighted that multiple causes played a role 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,” said AIHW spokesperson Michelle Gourley.

While coronary heart disease led the list, dementia followed closely, contributing to 18.3% of deaths. Other significant contributors included high blood pressure (12.5%), cerebrovascular diseases (11.5%), and diabetes (11.4%).

The report also identified the most common “direct” causes of death—the factors that ultimately ended someone’s life—including lower respiratory infections (8%), cardiac/respiratory arrest (7%), and sepsis (6%).

The AIHW report examined all factors listed on death certificates, not just the underlying cause, providing a more comprehensive understanding of mortality in Australia. “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 explained.

For example, a death certificate might list coronary heart disease as the underlying cause of death, but it could also mention conditions like acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), hypertension, diabetes, alcohol use disorders, COVID-19, and other factors that contributed to the death.

Gourley emphasised that this detailed analysis could inform healthcare strategies aimed at improving Australians’ quality of life. “Using different ways of looking at causes of death can enhance our understanding of the roles played by different diseases and conditions in a person’s health and in their death,” she said. “This can lead to a better awareness of what health conditions have the biggest impact on the community and can aid health services and decision-makers in developing strategies and interventions to reduce the impact of diseases and promote better health.”

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