heart attack Long-term declines in mortality rates for people suffering heart disease and stroke are stalling, researchers say, and they are blaming one key contributing factor. Coronary heart disease is the leading underlying cause of death in Australia, followed by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and cerebrovascular disease (which includes stroke), according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). And while mortality rates for heart disease and stroke were showing marked declines, that trend has almost stopped in many high-income countries, including Australia, and are even increasing in some countries, according to new research . University of Melbourne academics have analysed trends in cardiovascular disease mortality, which mainly comprises heart disease and stroke, in 23 high-income countries since the year 2000. They found cardiovascular disease mortality rates for people aged 35 to 74 were now barely declining and, in 12 of the 23 countries, were increasing. In Australia, […]