Canadian Cardiovascular Atlas
A Collection of Original Research Papers Published in The Canadian Journal of Cardiology, edited by Dr. Jack V. Tu et al.

The Canadian Mortality Database was used to estimate the mortality of men and women in different age groups for the 139 Canadian health regions (HRs) from 1950 to 1999. Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in Canada, between 1950 and 1999 the death rates from CVD dropped from 702 per 100,000 to 288 per 100,00 men, and from 562 per 100,000 to 175 per 100,000 women.

Results from the 2000-2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) indicated that 5.4% of men and 4.6% of women reported having heart disease as diagnosed by a medical professional. In total 4.5 years of life expectancy and 2.8 years of health expectancy were lost due to CVD. The study also found large differences in the burden of CVD among men and women and across the 139 Canadian HRs

Data from the CCHS were used to estimate the crude self-reported prevalence of heart disease, myocardial infarction (MI), angina and congestive heart failure (CHF) in Canada. The data are reported by age and sex groups, as well as by province or territory and HR.

Based on the CCHS data, it was estimated that among Canadians 12 years of age and older, 5.0% have heart disease, 2.1% have had a heart attack, 1.9% have angina and 1.0% have CHF. The prevalence of heart disease is low among those younger than 50 years; thereafter, the prevalence of heart disease increases and is more common among men than among women. By 70 years of age, at least one in four men and one in five women report having heart disease. Large differences in the burden of heart disease were observed across provinces, territories and HRs.

Source:
These maps were reproduced with permission from the Canadian Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Team’s “Canadian Cardiovascular Atlas” book. For more information about this project or to download a copy of the atlas free of charge, please visit www.ccort.ca/atlas.asp ..