News

Sugar has been getting a lot of negative attention lately. American cities have tried to ban extra-large soft drinks. The Canadian Diabetes Association and some municipalities want a tax imposed on sugar-sweetened beverages. Some articles claim certain kinds of sugar are worse for you than others

Although most cases of high blood pressure have no easily identifiable cause, the condition’s effects are clear, including increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. The medical consensus is that using medications to lower blood pressure benefits patients, but how low has remained an

At this year’s premier international gathering for heart disease, the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, sharing expertise was a major aspect of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s presence. In Ask the Expert and seminar sessions, surgeons Marc Ruel, Munir Boodhwani, David

Over the last decade, much has been learned about the genetic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In the long run, as researchers uncover how variations in these genes lead to heart disease, this knowledge may lead to new preventive drugs and treatments. But in the meantime, doctors have been

Canadians eat more salt than is good for them, increasing their risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. The Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates that the average adult Canadian consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium per day (roughly one-and-a-half teaspoons), most of it from processed

More than 32,000 Canadians go into cardiac arrest each year outside of a hospital and more than 90 per cent of them die. In many cases, this is because bystanders didn’t have adequate knowledge of CPR or access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). Guidelines and studies presented at the

Many of the patients admitted to hospital with a STEMI heart attack (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) have major blockages in blood vessels other than the one directly responsible for the heart attack. The best strategy for treating these patients remains an open question for cardiologists

Cancer and heart disease are the two leading causes of death. As we live longer lives, we are more likely to eventually have one or the other. But for many cancer patients, treatment of their condition makes it much more likely that they will have to deal with both. More people are surviving cancer

A number of Ottawa Heart Institute staff and trainees were honoured at this year’s Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, recognizing their accomplishments at both early and established phases of their careers. Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Research Achievement Award Rob Beanlands, Chief of

In the United States, comparative rankings of hospitals based on the quality of their cardiovascular (CV) care are easily available online and in the mainstream media. In Canada, this information is almost entirely unavailable, but a new joint initiative of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS)