Heart disease in Indigenous communities

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Indigenous Australians, causing one in 10 deaths.

Many risk factors for heart disease are also higher for Indigenous Australians.

Heart and circulatory conditions contribute most to the disease burden of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and are major contributors to the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and other Australians. That’s why it’s important to be aware of heart disease and its risk factors in Indigenous communities, and what can be done about them.