Physical activity levels in Atlantic Canadian CVD Patients

Melanie Keats, Cindy Forbes, Scott Grandy, & Yunsong Cui

Sixty years ago as many as 35% of Canadians who suffered a heart attack did not survive. Today, through early diagnosis and improved treatment options, as many as 95% of those who reach a hospital will survive. As a result, an estimated 1.3 million Canadians are living with heart disease and an additional 317,500 are living with the effects of stroke. Despite improved survival rates, many of those with a history of a heart attack or stroke struggle to recover and are often unable to maintain potentially lifesaving behavioral modifications. For example, despite the well documented health and cardio-protective benefits associated with physical activity, many individuals struggle to maintain optimal levels of physical activity following cardiac rehabilitation. Using a population based sample from Atlantic Canada, this report describes and compares the physical activity levels of individuals with a self-reported history of a major cardiovascular event (i.e., myocardial infarction and/or stroke) with those who have never experienced either event.