Just about everyone can think of a close relative or friend who has suffered a heart attack, also known as an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or stroke, perhaps at a young age.
In Canada, cardiovascular disease, which includes angina, heart attack and stroke, has long been the leading cause of death.
Although cardiovascular disease numbers have been nearly halved since the early 2000s, this health problem still accounts for more than a quarter (27%) of deaths in Canada each year and was the second leading cause of death nationwide in 2009.
Statistics Canada reports that 33,371 Canadians died of coronary artery disease in 2017. The figure is almost unchanged since 2013. Note that figures vary by source and study.
Below, the Insurance Portal delves into how this disease is evolving in Canada.
