CVD IN THE CHAMPLAIN DISTRICT


 

The Champlain District of Ontario

The Champlain District of Ontario encompasses a significant portion of southeastern Ontario (approximately 15,000 square km) and includes four municipal planning areas: the City of Ottawa, Renfrew County, the Eastern Counties of Prescott & Russell, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, and the northern parts of Leeds, Grenville & Lanark County. Home to almost 1.2 million residents, the Champlain District boasts a rich diversity of urban and rural communities, as well as socio-economic, cultural, and linguistic populations. (See map [PDF])

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The Burden of CVD

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart disease and stroke, is the single leading cause of death, disability, and hospitalization in Ontario and Canada.

  • In 1998, CVD accounted for 11.6% (or $18.5 billion) of the total cost of illness in Canada.
  • Currently, $5.5 billion is spent annually in Ontario on the treatment of CVD.
  • The cost of CVD is expected to double by 2018 as a result of an aging demographic and increasing prevalence of CVD risk factors.
  • An aging population and growing number of CVD cases will place unnecessary burden on the health care system.
  • Approximately 40,000 Canadians and 24,000 Ontarians die each year of CVD.

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The Importance of Prevention

An estimated 80% of premature CVD deaths are preventable through early management of CVD risk factors.

These include:

  • Abnormal cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity
  • Smoking
  • Unhealthy eating habits

Approximately 80% of the population has at least one modifiable risk factor for CVD. By working to decrease these risk factors in the population, significant impacts can be made on reducing the costs of the disease.

Because many of these risk factors are shared by other chronic illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, addressing these risk factors will assure prevention of virtually all chronic diseases.

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Cardiovascular Health Status in the Champlain District

As is the case provincially and nationally, ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Champlain District.

We also know that significant geographic health inequalities, or disparities, exist within the Champlain District particularly related to CVD and its associated risk factors. The Eastern Ontario counties of Prescott & Russell, Renfrew County, as well as Leeds, Grenville & Lanark, have been identified as three of Ontario's "hot spots" for CVD. These counties experience rates of CVD morbidity and mortality above the provincial average and that experienced by the City of Ottawa. This is accompanied by increased rates of CVD risk factors, such as hypertension and smoking, which are in some cases a two-fold increase over the provincial average.

In the Champlain District there are:

  • 11,400 residents who have experienced a stroke (1%)
  • 58,500 residents living with diabetes (5.2%)
  • 80,000 residents living with heart disease (7%)
  • 164,000 residents who have high blood pressure (14.3%)
  • 179,000 residents who are daily smokers (15.9%)
  • 483,000 residents who are not getting enough physical activity (42%)
  • 548,000 residents who are overweight or obese (48%)

For more information, please refer to the following:

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