Tejal SomvanshiTwo health milestones in the latest official Australian mortality data deserve attention from anyone managing a chronic condition or caring for an ageing family member. For the first time, dementia now causes more than one in ten deaths in Australia—crossing 10% of all registered fatalities. At the same time, asthma deaths have hit their highest point in a decade, driven by a preventable gap in how Australians treat the condition day to day.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Causes of Death, Australia report for the 2025 reference year, released October 27, 2026, recorded 188,421 total registered deaths. Dementia—including Alzheimer’s disease—caused 19,019 of those deaths, accounting for 10.09% of all fatalities and cementing its position as Australia’s leading cause of death for the second year running after overtaking ischaemic heart disease in 2024. The remaining top five causes were ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), lung cancer, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Asthma caused 484 deaths in 2025, up from 478 in 2024, and the highest total since 2015. Suicide remains the leading cause of premature death in Australia. If you are affected by this data, Lifeline is available 24 hours on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
If you use a blue reliever inhaler more than twice a week—or if you have refilled your reliever multiple times this year without using a daily preventer—your airways likely have untreated underlying inflammation. Asthma Australia advises booking a GP review to establish a written Asthma Action Plan and verify your inhaled corticosteroid preventer dose, which is subsidised under the PBS and reduces the underlying airway inflammation behind preventable asthma fatalities.
The Reliever Trap Behind Australia’s Decade-High Asthma Toll
Kate Miranda, CEO of Asthma Australia, points to a widespread clinical pattern driving unnecessary deaths: adults managing asthma symptoms with short-acting blue reliever inhalers while skipping or neglecting daily inhaled corticosteroid preventer therapy. A reliever puffer opens the airways temporarily—it does not treat the underlying airway inflammation that makes asthma dangerous. Miranda describes falling adult asthma control nationally, with over-reliance on symptom-relief puffers contributing to a concerning trend in fatalities. Preventers are available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning the cost is not a barrier for most Australians. A GP referral under a chronic care management plan also allows more frequent subsidised reviews. For families tracking an older relative’s diagnosis, a separate early dementia warning signs resource details the clinical indicators used in Australian aged-care assessments. Adults with asthma should ask their GP whether they hold a written Asthma Action Plan—a documented evidence-based protocol that reduces both hospital admissions and deaths.
Look closely at the demographic breakdown inside the ABS mortality tables and an unexpected parallel emerges: women account for almost two-thirds of Australia’s 19,019 dementia deaths and nearly two-thirds of the 484 asthma fatalities. The dementia skew reflects longer female life expectancy. The female majority in asthma deaths points to a different problem—a preventable clinical gap in adult women relying on short-acting relievers rather than daily anti-inflammatory preventers.
*What is the number one cause of death in Australia?* Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is the leading cause of death in Australia. According to ABS data released in October 2026, dementia caused 19,019 out of 188,421 total registered deaths in 2025—accounting for more than 10% (one in ten) of all Australian deaths for the first time.
*Why are asthma deaths at a 10-year high in Australia?* Asthma Australia CEO Kate Miranda points to poor adherence to daily inhaled corticosteroid preventer therapy—particularly among adults who rely instead on short-acting blue reliever inhalers. Relievers treat symptoms but not the underlying airway inflammation. PBS-subsidised preventers are available but underused, and many adults do not hold a written Asthma Action Plan.
*Why do more women die of dementia and asthma in Australia?* Women account for nearly two-thirds of both dementia and asthma deaths in the ABS dataset. The dementia skew is largely explained by women’s longer average life expectancy. The female asthma skew is linked to differences in clinical follow-up rates and preventer adherence among adult women compared to men.
The ABS Causes of Death report is published annually. For Australians with asthma, a conversation with a GP about prescribed inhaled corticosteroid preventer therapy remains the most evidence-based step available today. For mental health support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
