Monthly Health Focus
Some facts you may not know about heart disease and stroke
(Statistics found on the Heart and Stroke Foundation website)
- Heart disease and stroke remain the leading cause of death and disability in Canada - someone dies every 7 minutes from heart disease or stroke.
- Heart disease and stroke costs the Canadian economy more than $20.9 billion every year in physician services, hospital costs, lost wages and decreased productivity.
- 9 out of 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke; these include the use of alcohol, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes.
- There are over 50,000 strokes in Canada each year - that's one stroke every 10 minutes.
- There are over 70,000 heart attacks in Canada each year - that's one every 7 minutes
You don't have to be a statistic - a healthy lifestyle can greatly reduce your risk of suffering from heart disease or stroke. If you're not sure what your level of risk is, or effective lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor or health care professional at your local primary care clinic or visit the Heart and Stroke website.
