The stakes are too high to ignore. We must act now to stop more Canadians from dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

We all know someone impacted by CVD – we can all work together to change the impact this has on the lives of our loved ones.

Heart disease, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment kills 12 Canadians every hour and was responsible for one out of every three deaths in 2016.⁷ Between 2015 and 2019, diseases of the heart were the second leading cause of death annually in Canada after cancer¹.

Behind every statistic lies the harsh reality for those affected – family members, friends and colleagues whose lives were cut short, often leaving a sudden and deep impact on all those close to them.

But we can help change this - it's important to remember that healthy behaviours could help prevent almost 80% of premature heart disease and stroke⁴.

Diseases of the heart were the second leading cause of death in Canada annually, after cancer, between 2015 and 2019¹.

CVD is a massive drain on Canada's healthcare system – accounting for more than $21 billion of spending in 2019⁷.

An estimated 80% of CVD
is preventable³.

Heart disease, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment were behind almost one in three Canadian deaths in 2016⁷.

Thankfully, prevention is possible

The first step is knowing the risk factors for heart disease and stroke and sharing these with our loved ones if they are at risk. Nine out of ten Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which can include: ⁴

Lifestyle Risk Factors

Smoking, unhealthy eating, not getting enough exercise, being overweight or obese, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress⁴.

Medical Conditions

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, vascular cognitive impairment and diabetes⁴.

If you or someone you know has diabetes and is interested in learning more about CVD and how to best manage risks as well as potential complications, click here to review helpful resources from Diabetes Canada.

To learn more about managing CVD and high cholesterol, click here

To learn more about managing hypertension, click here

Other risk factors⁴

Age – risk of heart disease increases with age
Sex – a woman's risk increases after menopause
Family history
Heritage – people of South Asian, African or Indigenous heritage are more likely to have risk factors for CVD, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Learn about pre-existing conditions to determine if you are at risk of heart disease and stroke.

Nine out of ten Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke⁴.

Risk factors are things like an unhealthy lifestyle, high blood pressure and even family history⁴.

Reducing Risks

Almost 80% of premature cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle⁴. This includes:

Eating a healthy, balanced diet
Regular physical activity
Maintaining a healthy weight
Reducing stress
Quitting smoking
Avoiding alcohol abuse⁴

It is also important that Canadians continue to manage health conditions that can contribute to CVD, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol⁴.

Taking care of risk factors that can be controlled, like maintaining a healthy lifestyle, is a good preventative measure against CVD.

Taking action as individuals

Every time a heart condition, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment takes a Canadian life, it ends another story.

School graduations missed. Empty seats at family dinners. Faces missing from vacation pictures. Successful careers cut short.

Heart condition, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment take one Canadian life every five minutes.⁷

In fact, more than 50,000 people in Canada annually died from diseases of the heart between 2015 and 2019¹.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Together, we can save more Canadian lives, keep more Canadian families together and ease the burden on caregivers.

Join the movement for change and spread the word, today!

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Another Canadian's story will stop short due to heart conditions, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment in…

Yasmin's Story 60s

Lucas's Story 60s

Marco's Story 60s

The cost of complacency is too high –we must act now to save more lives.

Take Action

The stakes are too high to ignore. We must act now to stop more Canadians from dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Heart disease, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment kills 12 Canadians every hour and was responsible for one out of every three deaths in 2016.7 Between 2015 and 2019, diseases of the heart were the second leading cause of death annually in Canada after cancer1.