Health Citing: The Heart Truth - What The Statistics Really Mean
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By Dr Vivek Rao, Senior Medical Consultant, Cardiac Surgery The National Post recently reported that cancer and heart disease remain the top two causes of death for all Canadians. Interestingly, deaths due to cardiovascular disease (21.5 per cent) are almost equal to deaths due to ALL forms of cancer (29.6 per cent). Of some concern is the fact that deaths due to cancer have risen slightly from 2000 (28.7 per cent), although this may be due to the comforting decline in cardiovascular deaths (25.3 per cent in 2000). The decline in cardiovascular related deaths has been consistently demonstrated by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada over the past 25 years and is a testament to the results of continued basic and clinical science research. Investments have been made in cancer therapy, however, it is disappointing that overall mortality rates have not fallen much. To put this in perspective, not only is death due to cardiovascular disease decreasing in percentage terms, but it is also displaying a reduction in ABSOLUTE terms. Unfortunately, as more people "survive" their cardiovascular conditions, the prevalence of congestive heart failure continues to increase and remains an important epidemiologic problem for the next generation. |