The term cardiovascular disease, also referred to as CVD, describes a group of conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels.

The heart is a muscle that pushes blood through your blood vessels to other organs in your body.

The blood carries oxygen and nutrients.

Over time, blood vessels can collect fatty deposits made up of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that your body needs, but having too much can cause a build-up in your blood vessels.

This is called plaque.

Plaque makes your arteries narrow and stiff, limiting blood flow.

This condition is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque can break open, and a blood clot forms around the opening.

This can block the flow of blood completely.

If blood flow to your heart is blocked, it causes a heart attack.

If blood flow to your brain is blocked, it causes a stroke.

Cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes are very serious.

In fact, every 5 minutes a Canadian dies from cardiovascular disease, making it the second leading cause of death in Canada.

For those who survive, they often have lifelong effects, such as extreme fatigue and brain problems, which can make it difficult to enjoy life or even work.

Thankfully, most cardiovascular disease is preventable.

This means you can avoid having a heart attack or stroke by making some changes in your life and getting medical treatment early.

The first step in preventing a heart attack or stroke is to get screened, so that you know your risk level.

Then, after you’ve been screened, you can talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk.​