Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Cardiovascular disease in Canada - Statistics & Facts
Cardiovascular diseases are the second leading cause of death in Canada, accounting for around 17.7 percent of all deaths in 2023. That year, it was estimated that around 76,962 people in Canada died from major cardiovascular diseases, including diseases of the heart, essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease, cerebrovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, and other diseases of the circulatory system. However, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada estimates that almost 80 percent of premature heart disease and stroke cases can be prevented by avoiding known risk factors and living a healthy lifestyle. Common risk factors for cardiovascular disease include smoking, being overweight, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol and drug use. Smoking in Canada has decreased significantly over the past couple of decades, but around 11 percent of the population still smoked daily or occasionally as of 2024. Rates of obesity on the other hand have increased gradually over the past few years, with almost 31 percent of the population considered obese in 2024.
Deaths from cardiovascular diseases
Although the total number of people dying each year in Canada due to major cardiovascular diseases has increased over the past few years, the death rate has decreased and is much lower than the rate recorded in the year 2000. In 2023, there were around 192 deaths in Canada from major cardiovascular diseases per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of 247 per 100,000 population in 2000. This decrease in death rates is most likely due to increased awareness of risk factors and a larger focus on healthy living. However, although some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases can be controlled, others, such as genetic factors and age, cannot. Although cardiovascular diseases can happen at any age, older people are much more likely to die from such diseases than younger people. In 2023, the death rate due to major cardiovascular diseases in Canada among those aged 75 to 79 years was around 642 per 100,000 population, while those aged 30 to 34 years had a death rate of just four per 100,000.Cardiovascular diseases among men and women
Although cardiovascular diseases are the second leading cause of death in Canada among both men and women, rates of death due to cardiovascular diseases are higher among men, with this difference increasing over the past few years. For example, in 2023, the death rate for cardiovascular diseases among men in Canada was 204 per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of 180 per 100,000 women. Concerning the specific types of cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the heart account for the most deaths among both men and women, but rates are much higher for men. It is not completely understood why men have higher rates of cardiovascular diseases than women, but it is believed that higher rates of smoking and high cholesterol, as well as poorer diets and stress management may play a role.
