Canada sees 80% drop in heart disease death rate over 75 years: survey

A new Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada survey says heart disease and death rates have dropped 80 per cent over the last 75 years.

Despite this large increase, the foundation says there’s more work to be done because there are still six million Canadians living with heart and stroke disease.

The survey says that six in 10 health professionals note improvement in treatments and early identification are a key factor in the large decrease in death rate.

However, 46 per cent say better access to health care will improve outcomes while one in three people say equitable access to care should be a future focus.

The report also states that early intervention is key, with treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol as a top priority.

“If we’re thinking about the future and what the survey said about what we can look to as priorities, they mention things like better access to care, more equitable access to care regardless of things like geography, age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity,” says Rebecca Lund, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation encourages anyone with symptoms or concerns to speak with a health-care provider about a plan forward.

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