BCPB Home > Benchmarks > Rankings > Performance Indicator 19: Cardiovascular Mortality

Performance Indicator 19: Cardiovascular Mortality

Where BC Ranks, Provincial Comparison

Year

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Rank

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

Performance Indicator Nineteen tracks the number of deaths from major cardiovascular disease.

In 2004, approximately 167 people per 100,000 died from major cardiovascular disease in BC. This was the second lowest rate in Canada, and 5.1 percent below the Canadian average of 176 people per 100,000. Quebec had the lowest rate in 2004 at 156 per 100,000 population. BC saw a 26.0 percent drop in this mortality rate between 1995 and 2004.

With health professionals increasingly building public awareness on growing obesity rates in Canada, especially among children and youth, heart disease is again taking centre stage. While cardiovascular disease continues to affect the elderly, it is currently the third leading cause of death among the under 75 population and also affects quality of life, activity levels, and employability of numerous younger Canadians.

Why It's Important
It is the leading cause of hospitalization (except childbirth) among Canadians, and is the cause of death of almost 40% of the population despite falling mortality rates from cardiovascular disease.

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