Abstract

Main causes of deaths in Australia in the last decade were coronary heart disease, cancer, injury, mental health and diabetes. The study is focused on major procedures related to coronary artery disease; coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The trends in CABG and PCI rates using the hospital discharge data in NSW over a 12 year period from 1990-02 were studied in terms of age, gender, length of stay, country of birth and area health service of residence. The local government area level (spatial) variation in CABG and PCI procedure rates were assessed with the utilisation of small area analysis and regression model techniques. The cause elimination life table models were utilised to assess the impact of the elimination of ischaemic heart disease as a cause of death. The study provides an insight into how the variation in coronary heart disease trend in NSW in keeping with the advancements in CABG and PCI skills and technology would handle the increasing demand for these procedures in an aging population in NSW.