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Diabetes is a major contributing factor for heart disease. Diabetes patients are two to three times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than the general population. With the condition widely undertreated and diabetes rates growing, cardiovascular professionals are looking to stem the flow

Regular physical activity is one of the most beneficial things a person can do to prevent heart disease or support their rehabilitation after a heart attack or cardiac surgery. A study recently published in the British Medical Journal found that exercise can be as good or better than drug therapy

In two lively talks, Peter Liu, MD, Scientific Director of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, took a big picture point of view. In his plenary presentation to the Vascular Summit, Dr. Liu highlighted the inextricable link between vascular health and aging. Vascular aging leads to vascular

People with Type D personality are distressed. They tend to experience negative emotions and keep these emotions inside, not sharing them with others. Personality traits such as these are considered stable over time. As would be expected, Type D individuals with cardiovascular disease have a poor

In a Canadian Cardiovascular Society featured program item, cardiologist Thais Coutinho, MD, a recent Heart Institute recruit from the Mayo Clinic, presented interesting findings on arterial stiffness and hypertension. Globally, hypertension is the leading risk factor for death, yet only about half

The promise and challenges of cardiac regenerative medicine—facilitating the growth of new tissue to repair damage to the heart following a heart attack—received wide attention at CCC/Vascular 2013. The labs of University of Ottawa Heart Institute researchers Darryl Davis, MD and Erik Suuronen, PhD

In a randomized clinical trial, a Heart Institute group led by Bob Reid, PhD evaluated a program designed to impact the heart health of family members of patients with heart disease. “Family members of patients are in a teachable moment that gives us the opportunity to prevent them from becoming the

For patients experiencing an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most dangerous type of heart attack, treatment in a dedicated regional program saves lives. However the benefit specifically to elderly STEMI patients—aged 75 or older—from rapid treatment has not been clear. Among several

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

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