Surveillance of heart diseases and conditions

Learn how heart diseases and blood circulation conditions are monitored.

On this page

• How many people are living with a heart disease or condition in Canada?
• How does Canada monitor heart diseases and conditions?

How many people are living with a heart disease or condition in Canada?

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada, claiming more than 50,000 lives each year.

According to 2017–2018 data from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS), about 8.5% of Canadian adults were living with diagnosed ischemic heart disease. This is the most common type of heart disease, and the figure comprises about:

• 10% of men aged 20 years and older
• 7% of women aged 20 years and older

Men have higher hospitalization and death rates related to heart diseases than women in all age groups, but the difference lessens with age. However, because women live longer than men, there were a similar number of deaths for women and men from heart diseases.

About 2.9% of Canadian adults aged 20 years and older had survived a stroke (2017–2018 CCDSS). Men and women were equally affected, but more women than men who survived a stroke died each year since they tend to live longer.

According to 2011–2012 data from the Survey on Living with Neurological Conditions in Canada, over half of Canadians who reported having a stroke rated their health as only fair or poor. In particular:

• 23% self-reported diagnosed mood disorders
• about half self-reported mobility limitations

About 25% of Canadian adults aged 20 years and older were living with diagnosed hypertension (2017–2018 CCDSS). Men and women were equally affected.

Clinical depression is very common among people who suffer heart diseases and conditions. It happens to up to:

• 2 in 5 people with heart failure
• 1 in 3 people following a heart attack
• 1 in 5 people with ischemic heart disease or stroke

For people living with heart diseases and conditions, returning to work can be a challenge. This challenge affects household income and, on a larger scale, Canada's economic productivity.

How does Canada monitor heart diseases and conditions?

The Public Health Agency of Canada uses provincial and territorial health data from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System. This system helps the federal government better understand chronic conditions by estimating:

• the incidence of chronic conditions
• the prevalence of chronic conditions
• the use of health services
• health outcomes

The system aims to make the collection of surveillance data consistent and comparable across jurisdictions. Since the provinces and territories share population-level summaries only, patient privacy is protected. Pan-Canadian data can be found on the system's website.

Information is reported to support the planning and evaluation of policies and programs.

For more information

• Dementia and ischemic heart disease comorbidity among Canadians aged 65 years and older
• Dementia and stroke comorbidity among Canadians aged 65 years and older
• Report from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System: Heart Disease in Canada, 2018
• Stroke in Canada: Highlights from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System
• Heart disease in Canada: Highlights from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System
• Stroke in Canada Infographic
• Heart Disease in Canada Infographic
• Mapping Connections: An understanding of neurological conditions in Canada