The Heart Foundation of Australia and Deakin University have released a comprehensive set of statistics about cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors.

 

“The Australian heart disease statistics 2014 inaugural compendium provides some worrying statistics about the changing nature of Australia’s leading killer – cardiovascular disease,” Ms Mary Barry, National CEO of the Heart Foundation of Australia said.

 

“Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest killer of Australians and is the most expensive disease to treat nationally.

Unfortunately, with it accounting for 11% of direct healthcare expenditure, it remains a national health priority in name only.”

“Unlike other health priorities, there is no nationally funded action plan to drive improvements in prevention, early detection and management of cardiovascular disease,” Ms Barry said.

 

The Heart Foundation is calling for all governments to commit to improving:

1. prevention to stop disease before it starts;

2. early detection of those at high risk; and

3. access to support services for those

who have had a heart attack to cut the chance of further attacks.