More Canadians than ever - 95 per cent, in fact - are surviving a heart attack, but there are storm clouds on the horizon.

That's the conclusion of the new Report on the Health of Canadians from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Sheila Veh's heart attack came without warning while she was at a work convention.

"He said he picked me up and he could just feel me melting like butter. My heart stopped again."

Veh has always led a heart-healthy lifestyle, but the report has found some troubling indicators among Canadians, among them:

  • an almost doubling of diabetes in heart attack patients in a matter of decades
  • rising obesity rates in both adults and children
  • leading risk factors are poor diets and lack of physical activity
  • nine of 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease
  • 16 per cent of Canadians still smoke
  • an aging population

Dr. Murray Huff at the Robarts Research Institute says it's clear more needs to be done in terms of lifestyle.

"These are storm clouds on the horizon...It's a wake-up call that we still have risk factors...the big ones that we've already talked about that are big storm clouds on the horizon - the high incidence of Type 2 diabetes and the increased rates of obesity are going to expand the numbers of cardiovascular disease victims."

One of the big challenges ahead is Canada's aging population - as baby boomers get older their chances for heart problems increase.

But the report does have some bright spots:

  • 95 per cent of Canadians who have a heart attack and get to a hospital will survive
  • smoking rates have dropped sharply
  • better understanding of the causes
  • improved medications and management of risk factors
  • improved imaging for faster diagnosis
  • new and improved, often less invasive, procedures

Research being done at Robarts and elsewhere is being credited with making a big difference.

"Some of the newer, in development, medications are going to be able to lower cholesterol even much better than ever before. We think that's going to have a big impact," Huff says.

As for what comes next, Huff says "People who live through heart attacks, with the great advancements in medicine, have to change their thinking in order to live a fuller, more healthy life and live to be 90 and still be able to ride a bike."