N.L. leads the way with highest rate of heart disease in the country: cardiologist

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has described heart disease as a growing epidemic in Canada and a St. John's cardiac specialist says Newfoundland and Labrador is leading the way.

Dr. Sean Connorstold CBC Radio'sSt. John's Morning Showthat thisprovince not onlyhas the highest ratesof heart disease in the country, but it also ranks highest for levels of hypertension, obesity and diabetes.

It is correct to term this as an epidemic.- Dr. Sean Connors,cardiac specialist

Connorssaid that when the foundation surveyed Canadians to find out just what they knew about heart health, people failedto recognize there's a problem.

"Newfoundlanders perceive that their own health is better than what it actually is," he said.

"We have this perception issue. Sowe need to get people to realize that heart disease is the number one killer in Newfoundland [and Labrador], that we're higher than everyone else and we need to do something about it."

The burden of heart failure

The report, entitledThe Burden of Heart Failure, surveyed 2,012Canadians in October of 2015 and was releasedin early February.

Heart failuremeans the heart muscle is not pumping blood as efficiently as it should, due to damage from heart disease, such as a heart attack. It isa leading cause of hospitalization andresults in direct costs of more than $2.8-billion per year in Canada.

Connors said there are approximately onemillion Canadians who haveheart disease, and about 600,000 of those people are living with heart failure.

This chronic disease is often referred to as a 'revolving door condition.'

"It is correct to term this as an epidemic," said Connors.

"These people get admitted to hospital, they're expensive admissionsbecause these are very complicated patients. And then when they're stable enough to be discharged, about 20 per cent of those people are readmitted to hospital within 30 days."

Connors said the number of years of life lost to heart disease in this province is 50 per cent higher than the Canadian average.He addedthe high rate of heart disease in thisprovincecan be directly linked to factors such as diet and smoking.

Connorswas also part of the team that conducted research into genetic factors that contribute to sudden cardiac deaths.