Prescription drugs caused the highest numbers of drug induced deaths last year, but Australia has also seen a rapid increase in the number of people dying from methamphetamine overdoses.

There were 1808 drug induced deaths registered in Australia in 2016, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released today.

That’s similar to rates recorded in the late 1990s when Australia was in the grip of a heroin crisis.

But the profile of Australians dying from drug related deaths today has changed.

Middle aged men mixing cocktails of prescription drugs were more likely to die in an accidental drug related death than illegal drug users.

“In 2016, an individual dying from a drug induced death in Australia was most likely to be a middle aged male, living outside of a capital city who is misusing prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or oxycodone in a polypharmacy (the use of multiple drugs) setting,” the ABS said in a statement today.

“The death was most likely to be an accident.

“This profile is quite different from that in 1999, where a person who died from a drug induced death was most likely to be younger (early 30s) with morphine, heroin or benzodiazepines detected on toxicology at death.”

Deaths by methamphatime use have also increased significantly over the past 20 years as Australia developed one of the worst ice habits in the world.

The number of Australians dying from methamphetamine last year was four times higher than in 1999.

The ABS causes of death data released today also revealed dementia has become the leading cause of death among women in Australia.

Heart disease continues to be the nation’s biggest killer overall.

More than 8440 women died in 2016 from dementia, which replaced heart disease as the leading cause of death for women in Australia for the first time last year.

Dementia is the third leading cause of death for men, with 4679 deaths recorded in 2016.

Heart disease and lung cancer are the first and second biggest killers for men.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data released today also showed Australians are less likely to die from heart disease today than 10 years ago, while dementia is becoming a leading cause as the population ages.

Overall, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, claimed the lives of 13,126 Australians last year.

Suicide remains Australia’s leading cause of premature death.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78