More Than One Third of Deaths By Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease

A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has indicated that cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease were the underlying causes of almost 53,000, or 36%, of deaths in 2011.
Titled Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease - Australian Facts: Mortality, the report showed that in 14% of all death records, two of the diseases were found, and in 2% of cases all three diseases were found.
AIHW spokesperson Sushma Mathur said, "Overall, three out of every five deaths had at least one of these diseases recorded as an underlying or associated cause of death".
"Both diabetes and chronic kidney disease are more often associated with other underlying causes of death such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive disease or other cardiovascular disease. In 2011, diabetes and chronic kidney disease were each listed on 10% of all death certificates," Ms Mathur said.
"These diseases are often caused by or are a complication of one or both of the other diseases."
Despite cardiovascular disease death rates having fallen significantly since 1981 for both men and women, the disease is still the underlying cause of 31% of all deaths, making it the most common cause of death in Australia.
"Death rates for diabetes and chronic kidney disease during this time remained relatively unchanged," Ms Mathur said.
Diabetes was the underlying cause of 3% of all deaths, the majority of which were caused by type 2 diabetes. Chronic kidney disease was the underlying cause of a further 2% of deaths.
The people most at risk of being affected by these diseases include men, older people, people of low socio-economic status and people living in remote areas, where there are higher death rates from the diseases.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at an even higher risk of developing these diseases, with Indigenous diabetes death rates and chronic kidney disease death rate being three times those of non-Indigenous Australians.