Pacemaker/ICD Bleeding Complication Increases Risk of Serious Infections
A pocket hematoma is a pooling of blood around a device such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) following the implant procedure. Research led by the Ottawa Heart Institute has found that patients who experience a clinically significant pocket hematoma (CSH) are
Rapid Beats: Heart Disease News and Updates for May
To coincide with coverage of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit, this edition of “Rapids Beats” is dedicated to news related to women and heart disease. Why Women Are Less Likely to Receive Statin Therapy Statin drugs, which lower cholesterol, are equally effective in men and women at
CWHHS 2016: What We Know about Women and Heart Disease
With enthusiasm and a shared sense of purpose, experts in women and heart disease gathered in Ottawa this April for the first Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit. Attendees included leading figures in clinical care and research from across North America. The event aimed to lay the groundwork for
CWHHS 2016: What’s Needed to Improve Women’s Heart Health?
In the 1950s, available advice on women and heart health largely consisted of information on how to help husbands recover from their heart attacks. As the famous ad says, we’ve come a long way, baby. Progress is being made in addressing women’s heart health, progress that was amply demonstrated at
40th Anniversary Flashback: The Opening and Progress of the Heart Institute
It was on May 11, 1976, that Phase 1 of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute opened for business. What began in 1969, as the Cardiac Unit of The Ottawa Hospital, took a major step toward becoming the internationally recognized cardiac centre that it is today. “It was a very exciting time,”
Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease
A good night’s sleep restores energy, improves performance and generally makes you feel better. Getting the right amount of sleep is also important for good heart health. A South Korean study of more than 47,000 adults found that people who sleep about seven hours a night have significantly fewer
What’s Next for TAVI?
As we age, the aortic valve in our hearts can become hardened due to calcium deposits that build up over time. This is the most common cause of aortic stenosis which affects the opening and closing of the valve, restricting blood flow to the rest of the body. The condition affects more than 100,000
40th Anniversary Flashback: Launch of the STEMI Heart Attack Program
A heart attack is never good, but a STEMI heart attack is the most serious and deadly. It means that one of the arteries that deliver blood to the heart is completely blocked. The longer the heart goes without blood, the greater the damage. In 2004, the Ottawa Heart Institute launched its STEMI
Heart Health Infographics
February is Heart Month, but it’s always a good time to pay attention to your heart health. That’s especially true because the things you can do to keep your heart healthy are also good for your general wellbeing and help prevent many other chronic diseases.
40th Anniversary Flashback: The First Heart Transplant in Ottawa
To take the sick or damaged heart out of a person’s body and replace it with a healthy donor heart, often flown in from far away—the very idea of a heart transplant inspires wonder. In May 1984, Wilbert Keon, MD, founder of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, performed the first-ever heart