According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, about one in five Canadians have hypertension, or high blood pressure. Even more worrisome is the fact that millions more Canadians have something called prehypertension, a condition in which blood pressure levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed. Whether you have high blood
In Canada, an estimated 7.5 million people live with hypertension, or high blood pressure. Though high blood pressure is very common, easy to diagnose, and treatable, many people don’t even know they have it. It rarely has symptoms. But when left untreated, it can do damage to the arteries and increase your risk of developing
If something was wrong with your heart, would you know? Unfortunately, not all heart problems come with clearly recognizable symptoms. Though you might think of someone clutching their chest before they drop to the floor—like in a movie—it doesn’t always happen that way. In fact, heart-related symptoms don’t even necessarily manifest in the chest. If
Last summer, we reported that Health Canada and the FDA were beginning a series of meetings to discuss how Canada and the U.S. could work together to make their drug approval processes more efficient. At that time, they announced the formation of a council (it’s called the Canada-US Regulatory Cooperation Council, or RCC) to look
Inflammation is often made out to be the bad guy, but it’s actually a crucial part of your body’s immune system response—one you couldn’t live without. We’ve all experienced inflammation at some point or another. It’s what causes the redness and swelling that appears around a mosquito bite, or the tender, soft skin that appears when
The majority of people suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives. The region of the back that starts below the ribcage and ends at the tailbone is called the lumbar region. Pain in the lumbar region is often intense, ranging from a constant, dull ache or a sharp, shooting sensation when you
Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle—it can help you to stay fit, keep cholesterol levels in check, and ward off health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer. Not to mention, exercise is a natural mood booster that can reduce stress and alleviate symptoms of mental illnesses including
Your doctor may suggest replacement surgery, if stiffness and pain in either your knee or your hip make it difficult for you to perform simple, everyday tasks. Hip and knee replacement surgeries are a last resort for people over 50 who suffer from severe osteoarthritis and are no longer having success with other treatments. Read
If you suffer from arthritis, you probably know that it can cause uncomfortable stiffness and pain in the joints. Symptoms of arthritis affect approximately one in six Canadians and include: inflammation tenderness irritation achy joints limited range of motion If you don’t have arthritis, in all likelihood you know someone who does. Arthritis can
An asthma attack, also known as an asthma flare up, is associated with symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, severe shortness of breath or chest tightness and pain. Asthma attacks (James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D. , Mayoclinic.com) are caused by inflammation and swelling in the airways and narrowing of the airways. During an asthma attack, mucus is release in your