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Heart & Stroke

Heart disease and stroke are called cardiovascular diseases, because they involve your heart and the system of arteries that carry blood around your body. Most heart disease is caused by a blockage in the flow of blood into or out of your heart, either by a blood clot or by arteries that have hardened (a condition known as atherosclerosis).

A stroke is the sudden death of some brain cells due to a lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blockage or rupture of an artery.

There are two main types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic stroke is caused by blockage in an artery that supplies blood to the brain, resulting in an oxygen deficiency (ischemia). Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by the bleeding of ruptured blood vessels (hemorrhage) in the brain.

• Take a look at your heart
• What is a heart attack?
• What is cardiac arrest?
• What is a stroke?
• What is hardening of the arteries?

The risks to you

Heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in Canada. Around a third of all deaths every year are due to cardiovascular disease. This is because heart disease can lead to cardiac arrest, in which your heart and breathing stop and the flow of oxygen to your brain is cut off. Without oxygen, your brain can become damaged beyond recovery in a matter of minutes. Strokes can do fatal damage even more quickly by immediately affecting key brain structures. Depending on what brain structures are affected by the stroke, you might experience a wide range of effects. Weakness, partial paralysis and difficulty speaking are common problems for stroke survivors.

• Watch for the five stroke warning signs
• Is it a heart attack?
• The dangers of high blood pressure
• Good and bad cholesterol
• Diabetes and your heart

You can prevent heart disease and stroke

The good news about heart disease and stroke is that there are simple lifestyle measures you can take that may reduce your chances of contracting them. The main thing to remember is that most heart and stroke problems start with atherosclerosis, which is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits, called plaque, in your arteries. The source of this plaque is dietary cholesterol and chemicals from smoking and other pollutants. Exercising helps to break down cholesterol and flush out harmful chemicals, which prevent the formation of plaque. So avoiding high-fat, high-cholesterol foods, quitting smoking and exercising regularly are three things you can do to help reduce your risk of heart disease. The blood clots that lead to stroke start in blocked arteries, so the measures that help your cardiovascular system will reduce your risk of stroke as well.

• Physical activity
• Heart-healthy recipes
• Quitting smoking
• How’s your weight?
• Factors you can’t control

If you have heart disease or a stroke

A diagnosis of heart disease is not a death sentence. The mortality rate for heart disease and stroke has decreased by 70% since 1952! Heart disease can usually be controlled with a mixture of diet, exercise, and medications.

If you feel you are experiencing the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke, you should contact 911 immediately. Seconds count! In the event of cardiac arrest, CPR from a trained person can delay death long enough for help to arrive or even to get your heart beating again. New anti-coagulant drugs such as t-Pa (tissue plasminogen activator) can be very effective in treating those experiencing a stroke if given within three hours of the first signs of stroke. Doctors have a number of other treatments for heart disease and stroke once you are in the hospital, ranging from electric defibrillators to various surgical procedures. Heart disease treatments and medications.

These are the warning signs of a heart attack – call 911!

• Pain
  • sudden discomfort or pain that does not go away with rest
  • pain that may be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
  • pain that may feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
  • in women, pain may be more vague
  • chest pain or discomfort that is brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Fear

*Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation

Warning signs of a stroke – call 911

• Weakness - Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary.
• Trouble speaking - Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary.
• Vision problems - Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary.
• Headache - Sudden severe and unusual headache.
• Dizziness - Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs.

*Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation

Useful Links

• Heart Disease Quick Reference
• Heart Disease Symptoms: Warning Signals
• Heart Disease Prevention
• Heart Disease Treatment
• Stroke Quick Reference
• Stroke Symptoms: Warning Signs
• Stroke Prevention
• Stroke Treatments

By The Numbers

• Heart disease and stroke account for about a third of all deaths in Canada every year
• Heart disease costs the Canadian economy approximately $18 billion a year
• In 2007, for the first time, men and women had equal rates of heart disease
• 120/80 is ideal blood pressure. If your blood pressure is 130/85 or over, consult a doctor
• Even smoking less than 25 cigarettes per day triples your risk of heart disease and stroke
• Your heart is about the size of your fist. It beats about 100,000 times per day and pumps 7,200 litres of blood
• A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 80 beats per minute

Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Heart Health Tip

Check your blood pressure. Many drug stores and fitness clubs have blood pressure machines that you can use for free.

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Take this quick quiz to see if you have any of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

• I smoke.
• I am overweight. (What’s considered overweight?)
• I exercise less than 30 minutes a day/ 3 days a week.
• People in my immediate family have/had heart disease.
• I have diabetes.
• I eat a lot of high-fat foods. (What foods are high in fat?)
• I have high blood pressure.

Answers: More "yes" than “no” responses indicate a higher risk for heart disease.

*Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation

What can you do?

Look up your Healthy Living options to find recipes and resources to help you lead a healthier life.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

Reading about conditions online should never replace a visit to your doctor. The information provided here can help you get educated about various conditions and their treatments. Always seek the advice of a physician or other licensed health care professional regarding any questions you have about your medical condition(s) and treatment(s).