Heart Disease

Something I’ve thought about a bit:
I keep hearing on commercials, ads, and medical brochures that the leading cause of death in Canada is from Heart Disease. This should inspire us to do a couple of things.
1) We should try to raise awareness about the disease, and even been moved to help canvass or contribute to the fight in some other way.
2) We should take a moment to reflect on just how good we have it in our society.

Think about it; where else in the world is the standard of living so high that something like heart disease tops the list?
- Our health care system is strong enough that AIDS and other epidemics are not the leader.
- Our streets are safe enough that violent crime isn’t the leader.
- Our water quality is high enough that water-borne illnesses don’t lead the way.
- Our society is wealthy enough that poverty-related problems aren’t the leading case.
- Our government is politically stable enough to ensure that rebellion, civil war, and humanitarian crises don’t lead the way.
- Our life expectancy is so high that heart disease even has an opportunity to be the leading cause.

According to the CIA World Factbook of 2007, Canada’s average life expectancy tops 80 years*. This is the highest category the Factbook affords. Only a handful of countries currently achieve this level, most notably Sweden, France, Switzerland, Japan, and Australia. Clearly we are in the very elite of the world when it comes to life expectancy.

Since 83% (5 out of 6) of deaths resulting from coronary heart disease occur in people over the age of 65**, coupled with an aging population, our society is prime for this being the leading cause of death.

The next time you hear the statistic in the news or on some sort of bulletin, take a moment to pray for those who suffer and die from heart disease. But before you say Amen, make sure you thank God that you don’t live in a country where they can only DREAM that heart disease was their leading cause of death.

-Bernier

* https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
** http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4726