Canada targets heart disease risk

Canadian officials say a government plan aimed at preventing heart disease and strokes could cost $700 million to implement over seven years.

Medical experts, however, said it could result in billions of dollars in savings for the country’s healthcare system, Canwest News Service reported Tuesday.

As many as one in nine Canadians over the age of 20 are at risk of developing a factor for cardiovascular disease, the Canadian Heart Health Strategy and Action Plan steering committee report said..

Preventing heart disease and strokes could save $7.6 billion in direct costs and $1.6 billion in indirect costs associated with cardiovascular care.

The CHHS-AP will allow us to focus more on prevention, among other key areas, and tackle this health challenge head-on, said Sally Brown, chief executive officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, told Canwest.