Cardiovascular disease is a common condition in Australia. In 2014-2015, 5.2% of adult Australians (1.2 million people), and 30.7% of Australians aged 75 years or older, self-reported having been told by a healthcare professional that they have cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease is the most common form of cardiovascular disease, and the leading cause of death in Australia in both men and women. In 2012, an estimated 2% of Australians had experienced a stroke, based on self-reported data. The vast majority of strokes (71%) occurred in people aged 65 years and over.
It is important to consider a person’s overall absolute cardiovascular risk and manage all individual risk factors appropriately. Lipid disorders are a key modifiable risk factor. However, dyslipidaemia should not be treated in isolation from other risk factors that are present.