Blood pressure
A major factor, often silent.
High blood pressureHealth education · Heart and blood vesselsSaint‑Hyacinthe
Cardiovascular prevention: knowing your risks to better protect your heart and arteries
Prevent before symptoms appear.
Cardiovascular disease does not usually begin on the day of a heart attack or stroke. It can progress silently for years under the influence of hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, certain sleep disorders, family history or age.
At Clinique IPS du Palais in Saint-Hyacinthe, the cardiovascular assessment does not rely on a single test or a single blood test: the goal is to build an overall picture to determine what deserves to be monitored, corrected or investigated in your situation.
Your cardiovascular health in six areas
What we look at together
Cholesterol
Understanding LDL, triglycerides and atherosclerotic risk.
Cholesterol and dyslipidemiaBlood sugar
Preventing and detecting diabetes and metabolic abnormalities.
DiabetesLifestyle
Physical activity, diet, tobacco and alcohol.
Metabolic healthSleep
Including identifying possible sleep apnea.
Sleep disordersFamily history
Taking into account what you cannot change.
Your cardiovascular risk never depends on a single number. It is the combination of your risk factors, your history and your results that provides a meaningful picture.
Understanding
What is cardiovascular prevention?
It includes the interventions aimed at reducing the risk of developing or worsening a disease of the heart or blood vessels: coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease or complications of hypertension.
Heart & Stroke points out that the more risk factors a person has, the higher their risk.8 That is why the assessment seeks to determine overall cardiovascular risk rather than judging a single factor in isolation.
Primary or secondary?
Primary prevention: in a person who has never had a cardiovascular event, preventing a first event from occurring. For example, a person with hypertension, high cholesterol and a family history.
Secondary prevention: in a person who has already had a heart attack, a stroke, or coronary or peripheral artery disease, reducing the risk of recurrence.
Factors that can be changed
Act on what can change
High blood pressure
A persistent elevation in blood pressure, often silent. When poorly controlled, it can cause heart, brain, kidney and eye complications.4
Cholesterol and dyslipidemia
Certain lipid particles promote atherosclerosis. The panel may include LDL, HDL, triglycerides, non-HDL, and sometimes ApoB and Lp(a), to be interpreted together with the other factors.
Diabetes
Diabetes is an important cardiovascular risk factor.8 Prevention is not limited to blood sugar: blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function, tobacco, activity and diet also matter.
Smoking
Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, according to Heart & Stroke.7 Quitting smoking is one of the most important interventions.
Physical activity
People who are sedentary double their risk of heart disease and stroke.7 The CCS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week.2
You don't need to become an athlete: reducing long periods of inactivity also counts.
Diet
The Government of Quebec recommends eating healthily according to Canada's Food Guide.1 More than 70% of the sodium consumed comes from processed foods.3
The goal is not a perfect diet, but lasting habits.
Alcohol
High or excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of hypertension, heart disease and stroke.7 The Government of Quebec recommends abstaining or reducing consumption.1
Sleep and apnea
Heart & Stroke lists sleep apnea among the health conditions that are risk factors.8 Loud snoring, pauses in breathing, waking up choking or daytime sleepiness may suggest it.
Stress
High or prolonged stress can raise cholesterol and blood pressure.7 It also influences sleep, activity, diet, alcohol and tobacco. It is one element of the overall picture, rarely the only cause.
Weight is one element among others: hypertension, dyslipidemia or diabetes can occur at different weights. Healthy lifestyle habits help prevent cardiovascular disease, regardless of your body weight.1
What cannot be changed
Factors to know to better understand your risk
They cannot be changed, but they help in understanding your level of risk.
Heart & Stroke cites age, sex (risk increases after menopause), a family history of premature heart disease, African or South Asian ancestry, and being First Nations, Métis or Inuit.6
The Government of Quebec considers an event premature when it occurs in a close relative before age 55 in a man or before age 65 in a woman.5 Certain genetic conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolemia or elevated lipoprotein(a), may warrant a more thorough assessment.2
- Age
- Family history
- Genetic factors
Medical history
Certain conditions increase risk and, according to the CCS, warrant lipid screening at any age: chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, inflammatory diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus), HIV, COPD or a hypertensive disorder during pregnancy.2
Factors specific to women
Heart & Stroke mentions, among others, high blood pressure in pregnancy and gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, polycystic ovary syndrome, certain hormonal contraceptives and the drop in estrogen at menopause.8,9 Pregnancy history is therefore part of the assessment, even years later.
Overall risk
What is overall cardiovascular risk?
It is the probability of having a cardiovascular event over a given period, estimated from several parameters rather than from a single result.
The Canadian Cardiovascular Society recommends assessing it with a tool validated in Canada (Framingham Risk Score or CLEM model) every 5 years between ages 40 and 75, along with lipid screening starting at age 40, or earlier in the presence of certain conditions.2
The Government of Quebec indicates that dyslipidemia screening may be recommended between ages 40 and 75, and earlier or later depending on the situation.1 However, good lifestyle habits are beneficial well before age 40.
Can you be at risk while feeling well?
Yes.
Several important factors are usually silent: hypertension, high cholesterol, prediabetes, early atherosclerosis. Waiting for symptoms is therefore not a good prevention strategy.
More frequent monitoring may be useful in the case of:
- hypertension or diabetes;
- dyslipidemia or kidney disease;
- ongoing cardiovascular treatment;
- other significant risk factors.
The assessment
What can a cardiovascular assessment include?
The assessment is tailored to the person. There is no single “cardiovascular blood test.”
Your history
Personal and family history, medications, pregnancies.
Your blood pressure
Standardized measurement, comparison of both arms when relevant, home measurements or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).
Your lab tests
Lipid panel (with ApoB or Lp(a) if needed), blood sugar or HbA1c, kidney function, electrolytes, depending on the situation.
Your habits
Tobacco, physical activity, diet, alcohol, sleep, stress.
Tests
Tests based on the context
Blood pressure in both arms
A proper measurement requires rest, an appropriately sized cuff, a good position and no talking. Comparing both arms is part of the initial assessment.
24-hour ABPM
ABPM automatically measures blood pressure during activities, at rest and during sleep. Among other things, it helps confirm hypertension or understand variable readings.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
It records the electrical activity of the heart. The CCS recommends not doing it in asymptomatic people at low risk of coronary artery disease: it is instead indicated based on symptoms, history or certain treatments.10
Ankle-brachial index (ABI)
It compares blood pressure at the ankles with that in the arms to look for peripheral artery disease, when the context warrants it. It is not a routine test.
What about my smartwatch?
It can provide heart rate, activity, certain alerts or a simplified ECG. It cannot assess cholesterol, diabetes, atherosclerosis or overall cardiovascular risk.
Metabolic health
Hypertension, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, metabolic fatty liver and sleep apnea often occur together. A comprehensive approach makes it possible to act on several factors at once.
Can you really reduce your risk?
Yes.
According to Heart & Stroke, nearly 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through healthy lifestyle habits.6 Depending on the situation, the strategy may include treating hypertension, cholesterol or diabetes, quitting smoking, physical activity, diet, reducing alcohol, treating sleep apnea, weight management when relevant and preventive medications when they are indicated.
Is a good diet always enough?
No.
Lifestyle habits are the foundation, but they do not replace treatment when it is indicated: significant hypertension, high risk, known cardiovascular disease, very high LDL or high-risk diabetes.
Medications and lifestyle habits are not opposed: they are complementary.
When should I seek emergency care?
Prevention concerns non-urgent situations. Call 911 if you have symptoms that may suggest a heart attack or stroke, for example:
- significant pain, pressure or tightness in the chest;
- significant shortness of breath;
- sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body;
- sudden difficulty speaking;
- sudden loss of vision;
- loss of consciousness or sudden neurological symptoms.
A preventive assessment must never delay urgent care.
How often should the assessment be repeated?
It depends on the level of risk. For adults aged 40 to 75 without known cardiovascular disease, the CCS suggests reassessing risk about every 5 years.2
Closer monitoring is often useful in the presence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, kidney disease or cardiovascular treatment.
Cardiovascular risk assessment in Saint-Hyacinthe
At Clinique IPS du Palais, a health assessment can include several dimensions of prevention: blood pressure measurement (and comparison of both arms if needed), lipid panel, blood sugar, kidney function when relevant, medication review, family history, smoking, physical activity, diet, sleep, metabolic health and an estimate of cardiovascular risk.
Based on the results, we determine with you the reassuring elements, the factors to monitor, the priority changes, the relevant additional tests and the treatments that may be indicated.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
I have no symptoms. Do I need a cardiovascular assessment?
Possibly. Several important risk factors are silent, notably hypertension and high cholesterol. Whether an assessment is appropriate depends on your age, your history and your risk factors.
Does a normal ECG mean my heart is healthy?
Not necessarily. An ECG provides information about the electrical activity of the heart at the time of the test. It does not measure cholesterol, diabetes, atherosclerosis or overall cardiovascular risk.
Is my cholesterol enough to know my risk?
No. Cholesterol is important, but it must be interpreted together with other risk factors.
If my blood pressure is normal, am I protected?
Normal blood pressure is favourable, but on its own it does not rule out other cardiovascular factors.
If I am thin and active, do I need screening?
Potentially. Age, genetics, cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes or family history can be present regardless of weight.
At what age should I have my cholesterol checked?
The Canadian Cardiovascular Society recommends screening starting at age 40, or earlier in the presence of certain risk factors or certain conditions.
Can all heart attacks and all strokes be prevented?
No. No strategy can completely eliminate risk. Prevention aims to reduce modifiable factors as much as possible and to identify people who benefit from a preventive intervention.
Key takeaways
Cardiovascular prevention is not about looking for a single perfect number, but about understanding your whole profile: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, tobacco, activity, diet, sleep, history, medical conditions and age.
Some factors cannot be changed. Many others can be improved or treated, and the earlier they are identified, the more opportunity there is to act before complications appear.
Prevention means knowing your risk so you can act on what can truly be changed.
Sources
- Government of Quebec. Prévention et dépistage des maladies cardiovasculaires. Updated January 30, 2025, accessed October 5, 2026. quebec.ca
- Pearson GJ, Thanassoulis G, Anderson TJ et al. 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 2021; 37(8):1129-1150, accessed October 5, 2026. ccs.ca
- Goupil R et al. Hypertension Canada guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in adults in primary care. CMAJ, May 26, 2025; 197. doi:10.1503/cmaj.241770, accessed October 5, 2026. hypertension.ca
- Government of Quebec. Hypertension artérielle. Updated January 30, 2025, accessed October 5, 2026. quebec.ca
- Government of Quebec. Dyslipidémie (cholestérol). Updated January 30, 2025, accessed October 5, 2026. quebec.ca
- Heart & Stroke. Risque et prévention. Undated, accessed October 5, 2026. coeuretavc.ca
- Heart & Stroke. Facteurs de risque liés au mode de vie. Undated, accessed October 5, 2026. coeuretavc.ca
- Heart & Stroke. Affections qui sont des facteurs de risque. Undated, accessed October 5, 2026. coeuretavc.ca
- Heart & Stroke. Facteurs de risque chez les femmes. Undated, accessed October 5, 2026. coeuretavc.ca
- Choosing Wisely Canada and Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Cardiologie : cinq examens et traitements sur lesquels les médecins et les patients devraient s’interroger. January 2021, accessed October 5, 2026. choisiravecsoin.org (PDF)
The information on this page is provided for informational purposes and does not replace an assessment by a health professional.