News

CCC 2013: Frailty and TAVI

Lorraine Montoya Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) patients tend to be older than most cardiac patients and thus more likely to be frail. Assessment of frailty may hold value in predicting patient outcomes. In a pilot study presented by Heart Institute advanced practice nurse Lorraine

Helping Prevention ‘Live and Breathe’ in the Community

In an ideal world, there would be no need for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. In an ideal world, everybody would eat a healthy diet, be physically active, not smoke—and in living this healthy life, minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in their lives. But this isn’t an ideal

Cardiac Anesthesiology: Putting the Patient to Sleep Is Only the Beginning

Cardiac procedures are a study in teamwork. Whether inserting a stent, implanting a pacemaker or performing corrective surgery, a team of professionals, each with a different set of skills, works in unison to achieve the best possible outcome for the patient. “These are very much multidisciplinary

Study Expected to Impact Device Surgeries Worldwide

For decades, patients taking the anti-clotting drug warfarin who required the implantation of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator have posed a dilemma. If they are at moderate to high risk of stroke caused by a blood clot, how are doctors to balance the risk of surgical bleeding

A Meeting of Minds: A Gateway for the Next Generation

The Ottawa Heart Research Conference, hosted by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, brought together an array of researchers that included leading figures from North America and Europe for a lively exploration of “Emerging Pathways in Cardiovascular Disease.” A recent conference mounted by the

Depression and Heart Disease: A Vicious Circle

Heather Tulloch, PhD, is a Clinical, Health and Rehabilitation Psychologist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. As staff psychologist in the Heart Institute’s Division of Cardiac

Cardiac Rehabilitation: The ‘Next Step’ to a Heart-Healthy Life

It’s been shown to lower death rates from heart disease and even from other causes after the onset of cardiovascular disease, and it helps patients achieve a better quality of life. In fact, cardiac rehabilitation is a key “next step” in the recovery process following a heart attack or procedures

Taking Imaging Innovations from Lab to Market

Modern medical imaging allows doctors to see deep within the body in exquisite detail. Using small amounts of radioactive material called tracers, cardiologists can see in real time how well a patient’s heart is functioning. The positron emission tomography (PET) imaging group at the University of

Cardiac Electrophysiology: Repairing the Rhythms of the Heart

The heart is more than just a muscle. A complex electrical system drives the heart’s chambers to contract in a coordinated rhythm, pushing blood out to every cell in the body. When the system is damaged by heart disease, short circuits can result, causing dangerous disturbances in heart rhythm

A New Chair in the Seat of Cardiovascular Education

A dedicated staff committed to education. A referral base of 2 million people that offers an amazing range of clinical conditions that enable learning. A vigorous, wide-ranging research program. A supportive administration that believes in continual improvement. The full breadth of clinical care