Dementia has become the leading cause of death in Australia, surpassing heart disease, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In 2024, dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, accounted for over 17,500 deaths, representing 9.4% of all fatalities nationwide. For individuals aged 75 and older, dementia was responsible for 95% of deaths in that age group. Lauren Mohan, head of mortality statistics at ABS, noted that dementia-related deaths have increased by 39% over the past decade. "People are now more likely to live to an age where they have a higher risk of developing dementia," she said. In contrast, deaths from ischaemic heart diseases, which occur when the heart is deprived of oxygen, have reached their lowest level since the ABS began tracking this data. The number of deaths from these conditions has decreased by 18.3% since 2015. The ABS report indicates that 68.2% of deaths in 2024 occurred in individuals over 75 years old. The aging population has altered mortality patterns, with dementia becoming the leading cause of death for men aged over 85. For men aged 75 to 84, ischaemic heart diseases remain the top cause of death. Mohan explained that some of the increase in dementia deaths could be attributed to population growth and improved diagnosis. "When we look at it from a death-rate point of view, it's more steady," she said. Women accounted for 62% of dementia-related deaths. The national life expectancy is currently 81.1 years for men and 85.1 years for women. However, the life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is significantly lower, at 71.9 years for men and 75.6 years for women. Tanya Buchanan, chief executive of Dementia Australia, emphasized the urgent need for public health investment. "There are currently an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia, and without significant intervention, this number is expected to increase to more than one million by 2065," she said. The report also highlighted that suicide remains a leading cause of premature death, with 3,307 recorded suicides in 2024. Men made up over 75% of these deaths, and the median age of those who died by suicide was 46 years. The Northern Territory had the highest suicide rate, followed by Queensland and Tasmania. Nieves Murray, chief executive of Suicide Prevention Australia, described the suicide statistics as "devastating". "We lost an additional 43 lives to suicide in 2024 compared to the previous year. That's more than a classroom of students, a busload of people, or an entire family every month," she said. Additionally, drug and alcohol-induced deaths have risen, with acute toxicity being the primary cause of drug-related fatalities. Long-term complications from alcohol use, such as liver cirrhosis, were the leading cause of alcohol-related deaths, which have also increased over the past five years. Overall, the ABS recorded 187,268 deaths in 2024, an increase of 4,137 from the previous year. The median age of death was 82 years. Accidental falls were the leading external cause of death, particularly among those aged 75 and older, with 4,559 deaths attributed to falls. The ABS data underscores the need for continued public health efforts to address the rising rates of dementia, suicide, and substance-related deaths in Australia.