Australia's Health Crisis: A Case Study on Coronary Heart Disease

This case study provides an overview of coronary heart disease (CHD) and dementia in Australia, highlighting their prevalence, impact, and historical trends. It references data from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to illustrate the scale of these health challenges and their effect on various social groups. The study discusses the evolution of Australia's health system, key events influencing health outcomes, and the economic burden associated with these conditions. It also touches upon initiatives like the Dementia and Chronic Conditions Series Toolkits aimed at improving support and management for affected individuals, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of CHD and dementia in the Australian population. Desklib provides similar solved assignments for students.

Running head: ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
Name of the Student:
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1ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
Dementia and coronary heart disease can occur at any age and time, although they are
very common in older people. In Australia, nearly one in ten people are suffering from
dementia aged 65 and above. Dementia is a symptom of disease which affects the brain
(Annear et al. 2019). There are various reasons why dementia occurs, which comprise of
Presenile dementia, vascular dementia, Lewy body disease and frontotemporal dementia.
Dementia majorly effects on thinking, memory, attention, language, planning, judgement or
spatial skills that affect daily life of a person (Brauer et al. 2019). Whereas, ischaemic heart
disease is also identified as Coronary heart disease (CHD) and coronary artery disease (CAD)
which affects the blood vessels directly resulting in the slow accumulation of fatty deposits in
the inner side of the blood vessels which pump blood to the heart (Wang et al. 2019). Heart
attack is the first sign of CHD and it also leads to blood vessel diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) was recognized for encouraging good well-
being which needs a combined, multisectoral reaction with specific attention to equity,
gender and human constitutional rights. Australia witnessed a lot of deaths among men and
women which were as a result of Coronary heart disease and dementia (Who.int 2019). With
breast cancer and asthma, dementia was in the top 10 causes of death for women.The
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released a death report in 2017 which gave a highlight
in the increase number of deaths in Australia due to dementia. Death rate increased by 68% in
the last 10 years, with total death increasing from 8,172 in 2008 to 13,729 last year
(Abs.gov.au. 2016). According to WHO, dementia is the primary cause of death of women in
Australia (Who.int, 2019). In 2016, a survey estimated 158,500 deaths in Australia where the
primary causes were similar in 2006 and 2016. In 2016, 13% of male death was due to CHD
whereas, 11% of female death was due to dementia and Alzheimer disease. In 2013,
Dementia became the second major cause of death in Australia, overhauling ischaemic stroke
for the first time(Aged Care Guide 2019). The number of death due to dementia was

2ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
continued to rise in Australia in 2014 and 2015. In 2012, Dementia and coronary heart
disease was acknowledged as National Health Priority Area in Australia because of its
contribution to burden of injury and illness within the Australian community. Australian
Institute of Health and Welfaretestified that, approximately 342.8 thousand Australians had
been suffering from dementia in 2015, and based on the ageing and growth of population the
number is estimated to reach almost 400,000 by 2020(Aihw.gov.au 2019).
Coronary heart disease (CHD) rose in the late 19th century, and had a devastating
effect in the 20th century. By 1960, one third of all Americans died due to CHD, most visibly
men from each rank of every society. CHD is not a new form of disease. 3,500 years ago,
CT scans of Egyptian mummies, showed that even they had narrowed arteries which
eventually means that they had CHD (Wang et al. 2019). Pharaoh Merneptah, who died in
1203 BC, was suffering from severe coronary disease.The true and registered epidemic of
coronary heart disease developed after the Second World War due to higher rates of smoking,
high blood pressure and poor diets during and after the world war. After the war it fell first in
Australia and the United States, and then fell in other developed countries. During 1990, in
developing countries, Coronary heart diseasewas the third major root of death and by 2013 it
was the only leading cause of death. The death rates increased from 70 per 100,000 people to
91 per 100,000.Other diseases which were also alarming in developing countries were
hypertensive diseases, diabetes, infections, and trauma while smoking remains common
cause of such diseases. In 1990, more than 12.3 million people died globally suffering from
heart disease and by 2013, this rose to 17.3 million. Death rate due to heart disease
was almost doubled for Australians belonging to the lower socio-economic group as
compared to the people of higher socio-economic group. Death rate was 40% higher in case
of Indigenous Australians when compared to the non-Indigenous Australians(The
Conversation 2019).

3ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
Australia became one of the fastest nations in the world, with higher rates of diabetes
whose metabolic consequences leads to heart disease.Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia was
originally described by a German psychiatrist called Alöis Alzheimer in 1906
(Dementia.org.au 2019). After analysing andcomparing his patient’s post-mortem reports, he
confirmed the existence of anomalousdual brain structures, which is due to the assembled
mass of adhesive proteins in the middle of nerve cells.These anomalousaccumulated
adhesiveproteins are referred toas the pathological symbols for dementia. During Second
World War, Dementia or Alzheimer disease was out broken and people were suffering due to
the disease even after the war (The Conversation 2019). About 5% of dementia cases showan
early onset or familial inheritance. Dementia advances in people prior to the age of 65 and
also occasionally in people who are as young as 35. The frequency of dementia disease
clearly increased in adults over the age of 65. After 65, it doubles in every 6.5 years and
eventually affects one-third of the populationwho are older than 85.Dementia is a fatal
disease withno cure. Alzheimer’s disease is currently affecting 413,000 Australians, and this
frightening count will increase day by day. It is predicted that by 20150 more than one
million Australians will suffer from Alzheimer’ without a proper medical
breakthrough(Dementia.org.au 2019).
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2014–15 National Health
Survey (NHS) (Abs.gov.au. 2015), it was estimated from the report health that 85% of
Australians with age 15 mentioned themselves to be of good health, which was homogenous
to the former analysis in 2011–12(Abs.gov.au 2019). Out of the 34 Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries,Australia is considered as one
of the principal countries who rated their overall healthas good. Australia ranks after New
Zealand (90%), Canada (89%) and the United States (88%), and ranks higher OECD average
of 69% (OECD 2015). Additional (56%) of Australians estimated their well-being as ‘very

4ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
good’ or ‘excellent’. One-tenthAustralians rated their health as ‘fair’ and 4.4% Australians
rated their health as ‘poor’. Australia is considered to have the maximum life expectancy
among the established world with the overall burden of disease (BOD) has fallen down.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) was considered Australia's primary reason of demise, but
surprisingly the mortality rates has been decreasing currently from further 40 years. In the
former era, the demise rate of CHD has declined to more than a third from 99.1 deaths per
100,000 people in 2007 to 62.4 per 100,000 in 2016(Abs.gov.au 2019). The elimination of
coronary artery disease (CHD)from U.S had increased the mean life expectation of 35 years
by 3.1 years for males and 3.3 years for females. These analyses are of a particular attention,
in civic domain, for forthcoming decisions relating to public well-being including methods
and pattern of subsidy for different zones of biomedical investigation. Hence, this
investigation analysis has acknowledged a far-reachingexposure in public
media(Aihw.gov.au 2019).
Disease Expected number of
people suffering
Estimated number of
death
Likelihood
Coronary heart
disease
645,000 52 death each
day(approximately)
1 in 2 chance from age
40- men
1 in 3 chance from age
40-women
Dementia 436,366 36 death each
day(approximately)
5.4% of male deaths
10.6% of female deaths
Source:(Aihw.gov.au 2019).
Dementia and Coronary heart disease are the primary source of debility in Australians
and the third primary source of disability burdens overall the world.(Australian Alzheimer's

5ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
Research Foundation 2019) In 2018, treatment of dementia had a cost of more than $15
billion in Australia. By 2025, the total cost of treatment is expected to increase to more than
$18.7 billion, and by 2056, it is estimated to increase more than $36.8 billion. To overcome
such problems of cost and complexity Australia designed Dementia and Chronic Conditions
Series Toolkits to increase support for people who are living with dementia and chronic
conditions. The resources from the kit will help people to have better support in areas of
diagnosis and management of their health(Strokefoundation.org.au 2019).This toolkit is
funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments under the HACC program.It
includes advice and information for the patient regarding the diagnosis and care. According
to the geographical indications and the socio-economic status of Australia, the mortality of
these diseases is decreasing as new health strategies are developing which could decrease the
major health problems suffered by the people irrespective of any age, gender and community.

6ANALYSIS ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND DEMENTIA
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