Dementia becomes Australia leading killer in a shocking new milestone
Dementia Overtakes Heart Disease as Australia’s Leading Cause of Death
For the first time in recorded Australian history, Dementia becomes Australia‘s top cause of death, overtaking ischaemic heart disease in newly released data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The shift reflects an ageing population and decades of medical progress in other health areas, but it also highlights how serious dementia has become across the country.
According to the ABS, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were responsible for more than 17,500 deaths last year. Meanwhile, deaths caused by ischaemic heart disease dropped to the lowest levels ever documented. Lauren Moran, Head of Mortality Statistics at the ABS, stated that dementia deaths have risen by 39 percent over the last decade, a sign of the disease’s growing impact on older Australians.
This change in rankings is not unexpected. Health experts have long noted that Dementia becomes Australia‘s leading threat as more people live longer, especially women who have higher life expectancies. With more individuals reaching ages where dementia is more common, the increase in cases has been steady and consistent.
Dementia and Australia’s Ageing Population
The ABS report shows that over two-thirds of dementia-related deaths occurred in people aged 75 and older. Twenty years ago, that figure was 63.3 percent. Today, it is nearly 70 percent. This ageing trend helps explain why Dementia becomes Australia‘s biggest killer. Simply put, people now live long enough to reach ages where dementia becomes far more likely.
Women remain especially vulnerable. In 2024, 62.4 percent of all dementia deaths were women. For eight years straight, dementia has been the number one cause of death for Australian women. The combination of longer female lifespans and higher dementia prevalence is reshaping mortality statistics year after year.
The Decline of Heart Disease
While dementia has risen, the trajectory of heart disease has been the opposite. Deaths from coronary heart disease have fallen by almost 90 percent since they peaked in 1968. Better medical care, improved treatments, and public health awareness have all contributed to this decline.
Still, heart disease remains a major threat. Even though Dementia becomes Australia‘s leading cause, coronary heart disease is still the top cause of death among men. In 2024, it claimed 10,153 male lives. It also remains the leading cause of death in outer regional, remote, and very remote parts of the country, where access to health care is more limited.
But nationally, the gap between dementia and heart disease has been narrowing for years. In 2023, dementia accounted for 9.1 percent of total deaths and heart disease for 9.3 percent. In 2024, Dementia becomes Australia‘s leader at 9.4 percent while heart disease moved down to 8.7 percent.
Respiratory Diseases, Flu, and Changing Trends
Chronic lower respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis became the third leading cause of death, responsible for just over 9,000 deaths in 2024. These numbers had dropped during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdowns, masks, and reduced viral spread, but have since returned to typical pre-pandemic levels.
The flu also made a comeback. It caused 827 deaths in 2024, reflecting a return to normal circulation after years of unusual suppression during COVID.
This shifting landscape is one more reminder of why Dementia becomes Australia‘s biggest challenge. While deaths from infectious diseases fluctuate, deaths from dementia continue to rise steadily each year as the population ages.
Drug and Alcohol Deaths on the Rise
Alongside dementia and other chronic illnesses, drug and alcohol deaths have increased. Drug-induced deaths rose to 1,947, compared with 1,766 the previous year. Alcohol-induced deaths also climbed, increasing from 1,700 to 1,765.
ABS data shows that acute drug toxicity remains the main driver of drug-induced deaths, with opioids and depressants like benzodiazepines being the substances most frequently involved.
Alcohol-related deaths often stem from long-term complications such as liver cirrhosis. Over the last five years, alcohol-induced death rates have grown from 5.4 per 100,000 people to 5.9 per 100,000 in 2024.
Although Dementia becomes Australia‘s leading cause, the rising rates of substance-related deaths highlight serious public health concerns that affect younger age groups as well.
Suicide: The Leading Cause of Premature Death
While dementia stands as the overall leading cause of death, suicide remains the number one cause of premature death in Australia. In 2024, 3,307 people died by suicide, with a median age of 46. This contrasts sharply with dementia, which primarily affects older populations.
The rise in mid-life and young-adult mental health struggles remains a deeply rooted issue, even as Dementia becomes Australia‘s primary health demographic challenge.
Why Dementia Is Increasing So Fast
The rise in dementia deaths is not because the disease is spreading faster, but because of changing population dynamics. Medical advances have allowed Australians to live longer and survive conditions that once cut life short. Heart attacks, infections, strokes, and many cancers have become more treatable.
As a result, many people reach their late 70s, 80s, and 90s, where dementia risk is significantly higher. When Dementia becomes Australia‘s most common cause of death, it reflects demographic success as much as medical concern.
However, the rise also reveals how unprepared the country is for the growing number of people living with cognitive decline. Families, aged care facilities, and healthcare providers all face increasing pressure to support people with dementia.
A National Health Turning Point
Experts believe this shift should encourage Australia to prepare for the future. As Dementia becomes Australia’s leading cause of death, more investment is needed in aged care, dementia-friendly housing, caregiver support, and early intervention programs.
The challenge is not only medical but social. Unlike heart disease or stroke, dementia can stretch over many years, requiring daily care, emotional support, and financial resources. Families often carry the burden alone, with carers sometimes sacrificing work, savings, and stability to look after loved ones.
Looking Ahead
With Australians living longer and the population continuing to age, dementia will likely remain the top cause of death for years to come. The data confirms that Dementia becomes Australia‘s central health issue of the next generation. It reshapes not only medical priorities but also social planning, aged care policy, and national funding decisions.
A major conversation is now underway about how Australia will respond. The country is entering a period where dementia care will need the same urgency and investment that heart disease, cancer, and mental health have received over the past decades.
For now, the numbers tell a clear story. Dementia becomes Australia‘s leading cause of death, and it marks a turning point that will shape the health landscape for decades. It is a reminder of the challenges that come with longer life but also an opportunity to build a stronger, more prepared healthcare system.
