Frequently asked questions
What do we know about cardiovascular disease among Indigenous people?
- What is cardiovascular disease? (November 2007)
- What do we know about the impact of cardiovascular disease among Indigenous people? (November 2007)
For more detailed information about cardiovascular disease among Indigenous Australians view our HeartInfoNet web resource
| Please reference this document
as: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet (2007). Frequently asked questions: What do we know about cardiovascular disease among Indigenous people? Retrieved [access date] from http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/html/html_keyfacts/faq/faq_specific_health/cardiovascular_disease.htm |
What do we know about cardiovascular disease among Indigenous people?
What is cardiovascular disease? (November 2007)
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to heart, stroke and vascular diseases - that is, all diseases of the heart and blood vessels including coronary heart disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease [1]. (Cardiovascular disease is also known as disease of the circulatory system.)
Except for rheumatic heart disease, the diseases are caused by a damaged blood supply to the heart, brain and legs. Rheumatic heart disease involves damage to the heart valves and heart muscle as a result of an attack of acute rheumatic fever, a post-infectious sequela of group-A streptococcal pharyngitis.
What do we know about the impact of cardiovascular disease among Indigenous people? (November 2007)
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and its health and economic burden exceeds that of any other disease [2 , 3].
Mortality from cardiovascular disease was between two and a half and three times higher for Indigenous than for non-Indigenous people living in Queensland, WA, SA and the NT in 2000-2004 (see What are the main causes of death among Indigenous people?) [2]. Ischaemic heart disease (particularly heart attacks) was responsible for 63% of the deaths from cardiovascular disease of Indigenous males and for 50% of those of Indigenous females [5]. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) was responsible for 15% of the deaths from cardiovascular disease of Indigenous males and for 20% of those of Indigenous females [5].
The disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in deaths from cardiovascular disease is greatest in the younger age groups - among people aged 25-54 years, the death rates for Indigenous people are 9-13 times those of other Australians [5].
The major cardiovascular risk factors for the Indigenous population are the same as those for the total population, including smoking, obesity, diabetes and low levels of physical activity. The very high level of stressors among Indigenous people is also likely to contribute in the greater burden of cardiovascular disease, particularly ischaemic heart disease, among Indigenous people than among non-Indigenous people [6, 7].
References
1. Commonwealth
Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare (1999) National health priority areas report: cardiovascular
health 1998. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2006) Australia's health 2006: the tenth biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (AIHW catalogue no. AUS 73) Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2004) Heart, stroke and vascular diseases: Australian facts 2004. (Cardiovascular disease series no. 22) Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) Deaths Australia, 2005. (ABS catalogue no. 3302.0) Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
5. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2005) The health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2005. (ABS catalogue no. 4704.0) Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics
6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, 2002. (ABS Cat. no. 4714.0) Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
7. Bunker S, Colquhoun, DM, Esler MD, Hickie, IB, Hunt, D, Jelinek VM, Oldenburg, BF, Peach, HG, Ruth, D, Tennant DC, Tonkin AM (2003) 'Stress' and coronary heart disease: psychosocial risk factors: National Heart Foundation of Australia position statement update. Medical Journal of Australia;178(6):272-276
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