Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a result of narrowing arteries and reduced blood flow to the heart: this usually starts as angina, (pain and discomfort in the heart) and can lead to a heart attack overtime.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia; in 2016 heart disease was responsible for 1 death every 30 minutes.
The facts
- The risk of heart disease increases with age.
- Men are at higher risk of heart disease than women.
- Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with those who have never smoked.
- Being inactive increases the chance of heart disease.
- Carrying excess body fat is a risk factor for heart disease.
- People with diabetes have a higher likelihood of having heart disease.
- Having high blood pressure increases the risk of having a heart attack.
- Lower LDL cholesterol levels can decrease the risk of having a heart attack.
The cost of CHD
The majority of specialist charge in excess of the medication schedule benefit fee, increasing the out-of-pocket burden for individuals.
