Coronary heart disease remains the most common underlying cause of death in Australia but four in five deaths actually involve more than one cause. An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report examined all conditions listed on death certificates in 2022 in order to gain a more complete understanding of the nation’s health. Coronary heart disease is still the biggest killer as it was involved in about 20 per cent of deaths.
” As an example, she said even though a person’s underlying cause of a death may be coronary heart disease, their death certificate may also list other conditions such as a heart attack, diabetes, alcohol use disorders or COVID-19. “Using different ways of looking at causes of death can enhance our understanding of the roles played by different diseases and conditions in a person’s health and in their death,” Gourley said.