Heart disease deaths dropped 30 percent in Canada between 1994 and 2004, likely as a result of fierce campaigns against smoking and bad cholesterol, a study said Monday.
Heart disease deaths dropped 30 percent in Canada between 1994 and 2004, likely as a result of fierce campaigns against smoking and bad cholesterol, a study said Monday.
Researchers noted a rapid decline over 10 years in the number of related deaths from 360.6 to 252.5 per 100,000 people, as well as 4,000 fewer people dying from heart attacks (acute myocardial infarction) in 2004 than in 1994 in Canada."This could reflect declines in risk factors, such as smoking and increased use of statins to control cholesterol," the study's authors said in a statement.
Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs usually prescribed to patients who have or are at risk of having cardiovascular disease.
The study looked at data from Statistics Canada's national death registry on the cause of all deaths in the country, and at hospital admissions for heart attacks, heart failure and stroke.
Diet, Lifestyle and Heart Disease - Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fatty substance and can be Good Cholesterol (HDL) or Bad Cholesterol (LDL).
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fatty substance and can be Good Cholesterol (HDL) or Bad Cholesterol (LDL).
The study, to be published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, noted "improvements across most age and sex groups." But for the first time, more women than men are dying of cardiovascular causes," it said.
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Animation of heart attack symptoms
Heart attack can cause symptoms such as Chest pain or discomfort, Shortness of breath and pain in neck, back, arm, or shoulder and is due to blockage of blood supply to the heart muscles
Heart attack can cause symptoms such as Chest pain or discomfort, Shortness of breath and pain in neck, back, arm, or shoulder and is due to blockage of blood supply to the heart muscles
They note that "previous efforts to prevent cardiovascular events have been successful, but in many cases they may have delayed the occurrence of such events until people are older and potentially more difficult to treat."
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Quiz on Heart Attack
The risk factors that work behind the scene before a heart attack are familiar to many. But do you realize the extent to which your lifestyle choices are putting your life at risk? Can you identify a heart attack when it occurs? Take our quiz and find out.
The risk factors that work behind the scene before a heart attack are familiar to many. But do you realize the extent to which your lifestyle choices are putting your life at risk? Can you identify a heart attack when it occurs? Take our quiz and find out.
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