It has been estimated that over four million Canadians have high blood pressure, a comorbid condition that doubles or triples the risk of CVD. Hypertension, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, arrhythmias and valvular heart disease, coagulopathies and stroke, collectively known as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), contribute greatly to the mortality, morbidity and economic burden of illness in Canada and in other countries.
