Naylor D, Slaughter P.  February 1999

Heart disease remains the single largest cause of death for Canadians. The burden of heart disease generates massive health care costs, which will increase as the population ages. Developed with the support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, this research atlas represents a crucial step toward helping Ontario achieve improved cardiovascular health.

The research focuses primarily on coronary heart disease, with some chapters examining other cardiovascular conditions. Specifically, this research atlas provides population-based information to: encourage regional cardiac health promotion; accelerate primary and secondary prevention; create the impetus for improved patient care; encourage better data-gathering; and galvanize research to deepen the understanding of how factors such as ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status impact the incidence and management of heart disease.