Heart, stroke and vascular disease

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Contains key statistics and information about heart, stroke and vascular disease and its prevalence in Australia

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Reference period
2022

Key statistics

  • One in twenty (5.2% or 1.3 million) people had heart, stroke and vascular disease in 2022
  • Prevalence of heart, stroke and vascular disease has increased slightly since 2001 (4.1%)
  • Heart, stroke and vascular disease was slightly more common in males than females (5.9% compared to 4.6%)

These statistics form part of the National Health Survey 2022. More information on other topics of interest from the survey are available on the National Health Survey 2022 page.

Heart, stroke and vascular disease prevalence

Definitions

Heart, stroke and vascular disease encompasses a range of circulatory conditions including:

  • Ischaemic heart diseases (angina, heart attack and other ischaemic heart diseases)
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases)
  • Oedema
  • Heart failure
  • Diseases of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries.

This group of conditions is commonly referred to under the broader term of ‘heart disease’ or ‘cardiovascular disease’. In 2022, ischaemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death and cerebrovascular diseases (including stroke) were the fourth leading cause of death[1].
 

One in twenty (5.2% or 1.3 million) people had heart, stroke and vascular disease in 2022. This rate has increased slightly from 4.1% in 2001 but remained steady from 2007–08 (5.3%). Heart, stroke and vascular disease was slightly more common in males than females (5.9% compared to 4.6%). Prevalence increased with age, from 0.6% of people aged 0–44 years to 27.7% of people aged 75 years and over.

Characteristics of people with heart, stroke and vascular disease

In 2022, people:

  • Living in areas of most disadvantage were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those in areas of least disadvantage (8.2% compared to 3.6%)
  • Who spoke English at home were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those who spoke a language other than English at home (5.6% compared to 3.3%)
  • Living in Inner Regional Australia were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those in Major Cities (7.3% compared to 4.6%)
  • Living with disability were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those with no disability (13.2% compared to 1.5%).

Adults aged 18 years and over who:

  • Had a measured waist circumference that put them at increased risk of disease were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those at lowered risk (8.3% compared to 3.3%)
  • Were ex-smokers, were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than either current daily smokers (10.3% compared to 7.6%) or those who have never smoked (10.3% compared to 4.7%)
  • Had experienced severe/very severe bodily pain in the four weeks prior to interview were more likely to have heart, stroke and vascular disease than those with very mild/mild bodily pain (19.4% compared to 5.0%).

Nearly half (49.2%) of people aged 15 years and over who have heart, stroke and vascular disease rated their health as either fair or poor, compared to 17.2% who rated their health as excellent or very good.

Data downloads

See National Health Survey 2022 data downloads for the full suite of available data. Data relating to Heart, stroke and vascular disease can be found in tables:

  • TABLE 1 Summary health characteristics, 2001 to 2022
  • TABLE 2 Summary health characteristics, by states and territories
  • TABLE 3 Long-term health conditions, by age and sex
  • TABLE 4 Selected long-term health conditions, by population characteristics
  • TABLE 5 Selected long-term health conditions, by health risk factors and health status
  • TABLE 15 Number of chronic conditions, by population characteristics, by age
  • TABLE 16 Comorbidity of selected chronic conditions, by age and sex.

Footnotes

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘Causes of Death, Australia, 2022’, https://abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/latest-release#australia-s-leading-causes-of-death-2022; accessed 15/11/2023.

Media release

See National Health Survey 2022 media release for more information.

Methodology

Scope

Includes:

  • all usual residents in Australia aged 0+ years living in private dwellings.
  • urban and rural areas in all states and territories, excluding very remote parts of Australia and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

Geography

The data available includes estimates for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

The National Health Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Collection method

Face-to-face interview with an Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewer.

Concepts, sources and methods

Health conditions are presented using a classification which is based on the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).

History of changes

Not applicable to this release.

View full methodology