A rich history

Ingenuity. Innovation. Discovery. These are just a few of the words that describe the rich fabric of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

From the beginning, our successes have been many and varied in shaping the way cardiovascular medicine is practiced, revolutionizing cardiac treatment and understanding, adding to the world's cardiovascular knowledge, and translating discoveries into advanced care.

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Our History: from 1976 to 2025 (PDF)

Timeline

1970s

• 1976 – University of Ottawa Heart Institute begins

1980s
A decade of breakthroughs, where the University of Ottawa Heart Institute set a new rhythm for cardiac care.

• 1981 – 1^st Angioplasty (Ontario)
• 1984 – 1^st Heart transplant (Ottawa)
• 1986 – 1^st use of Jarvik 7 artificial heart as a bridge to transplant (Canada)
• 1989 – Heart transplant on the youngest recipient (Canada)

1990s
A period of transformation, growing expertise and pioneering treatments that helped redefine heart care across Canada.

• 1995 – National Cardiac PET Centre

2000s
Innovation in action—bringing prevention, precision care, and modern treatments closer to patients than ever before.

• 2002 – Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation
• 2005 – Novel STEMI Program
• 2005 – Minimally invasive cardiac surgeries
• 2007 – John and Jennifer Ruddy Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre found DNA sequence indicating susceptibility to heart disease

2010s
A decade of big ideas and big growth, as science, technology, and heart care moved forward together.

• 2010 – Aortic Program
• 2010 – 1^st trial published in NEJM (RAFT)
• 2011 – 1^st bedside genetic test determines adverse risk to standard therapy
• 2012 – 498^th, 499^th, and 500^th heart transplants performed in a day
• 2014 – Canadian Women's Heart Health Centre
• 2015 – Groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion project
• 2018 – Critical care tower with robotic surgical system
• 2019 – Electronic medical records management (Epic)
• 2019 – Centre for Valvular Heart Disease

2020s
An exciting era where data, AI, and smart technology are driving a new vision for heart health for all.

• 2020 – New diagnostic imaging centre
• 2023 – Mobile valve clinic
• 2023 – Canadian Centre for Rare Cardiac Conditions
• 2023 – Data Science Centre
• 2024 – Acute Cardiac Triage Unit
• 2025 – One Million Canadian Hearts