The current status of cardiovascular disease in Canada--a call to action.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, in collaboration with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control as well as the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, recently published a report on "The Growing Burden of Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada 2003". This article will review some of the information contained in this report, as well as the nursing implications. The burden associated with cardiovascular disease continues to increase for a number of different reasons. Risk-provoking behaviours are increasing, despite growing knowledge of the consequences associated with these actions. In fact, the health of our future generation is now being threatened with these uncontrolled risk behaviours. The cost of providing cardiovascular care remains high. Treating this disease entity requires a multifactorial approach. Nurses are in key positions to effect change in treating cardiovascular disease by addressing risk-provoking behaviours from multiple levels and, therefore, to make a significant change in these statistics for future reports.