Heart disease
From the stories you hear at the water cooler to the ones you watch in nightly newscasts, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the variety of diseases out there. But if you empower yourself with information, you can cut your risk of developing a deadly disease.
Read on for the warning signs of Canada's most deadly diseases; they are responsible for the most illness-related deaths in this country, according to 2004 statistics from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
1. Heart disease
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, heart disease is the number 1 killer in Canada, with someone dying from it, or stroke, in this country every seven minutes.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease describes several conditions that affect your heart by interrupting its blood supply. The most common condition is coronary artery disease, when your heart's blood vessels become blocked or narrowed. Coronary artery disease can cause chest pains or a heart attack.
Symptoms of heart disease
If you experience the following symptoms, alert someone near you or call the emergency number in your area:
- Pain, often described as a tight burning sensation in your chest, neck, jaw, shoulders, arms or back, that is sudden and won't go away with rest, or is brought on by exertion and does go away with rest
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea, including vomiting and indigestion
- Sweating with a cool feeling of clamminess
- Fear and anxiety
Preventing heart disease
There are several ways to lower your risk of developing a heart condition.
- If you are a smoker, quit smoking
- Exercise every day and eat a healthy diet that's low in saturated and trans fats
- Maintain a healthy weight for your frame
- Know your blood pressure and keep it under control
- If you have diabetes, manage it
- Limit alcohol consumption and stress
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