Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when a coronary artery clogs and narrows because of a buildup of plaque. CAD is the leading single cause of death in Australia, accounting for 16,600 deaths in 2020, and is the second leading cause of  premature death. This represented 10% of all deaths, and 41% of cardiovascular disease deaths. 

In 2020-21, an estimated 571,000 Australians aged 18 and over had CAD, based on self-reported data from the Australia Bureau of Statistics 2020-21 National Health Survey. In 2019, an estimated 57,700 people aged 25 and over had an acute coronary event in the form of a heart attack or unstable angina – around 158 events every day. Of these, 7,400 (13%) were fatal.

To date, three workshops have been held:

• Melbourne, Victoria – understanding challenges and opportunities in CAD
• Dubbo, NSW – exploring drivers of inequity in rural and remote Australia
• Wollongong, NSW – exploring drivers of inequity in regional Australia

The Coronary Artery Disease Clinical Theme is co-led by Professor Gemma Figtree and Professor Peter Psaltis.