Heart & Stroke’s annual report finds patients hospitalized for one vascular condition are at significant risk of experiencing additional vascular conditions and shows that the health system isn’t set up to deal with their complex needs. Among the 1.5 million patients admitted to hospital between 2007 and 2017 for a vascular condition, 40% were re-admitted at least once for another related illness. People with heart failure are found to be 2.6 times more likely to have vascular cognitive impairment, or thinking problems, including vascular dementia, caused by damage to the brain’s blood vessels, compared with those who do not have heart failure. The chief executive of Heart & Stroke says patients tend to receive healthcare in a disconnected way, as each of their conditions are treated independently, and often, too late. He calls for an increased emphasis on prevention and medication affordability. Additionally, he concludes solutions could be found in smaller communities that come up with ways to deal with patients who have multiple conditions.
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