The Cardiac Surgery ICU: Making Complex Recovery Possible
Intensive care lives up to its name when you visit the patients who are receiving it in the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CSICU). Most patients stay for no more than a day in the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s CSICU, some will stay for three or four days, and the sickest of the sick
Fish Oil Good for Your Heart? Evidence Called into Question
Oily fish is widely recommended as part of a heart-healthy diet, based in part on a landmark study from the 1970s. In it, Danish researchers Hans Olaf Bang and Jørn Dyerberg connected the low incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) among the Inuit of Greenland (referred to as Eskimos in the study
Cardiology Expertise from Around the Globe
Within the past year, the Division of Cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute has cast a wide net, reaching across the globe to expand its roster with talented young physicians. These four new staff members represent five continents among them and bring extensive training from leading
Back from the Conflict Zone
The kid was no more than 7, a scruffy little dark-eyed boy who was followed everywhere by his younger brother. For days, they’d set up just outside the Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, trying to make enough money selling drink boxes to survive. Like most boys his age, he couldn’t keep still, moving
International Recognition for the STEMI Heart Attack Program
When you hear “ Code STEMI” announced over the loudspeakers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, you can be sure of two things: Someone in the Ottawa region is having a serious heart attack, and he or she may well be in the best place in the world for that to happen. A STEMI (ST-elevation
A Lasting Legacy at the Heart Institute
When he came to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute on April 2, 2004, Robert Roberts, MD, was well established as an international leader in cardiovascular genetics and research. He arrived with a mandate to put research at the Heart Institute on par with the world-class care and training the
Putting Genetics Research at the Heart Institute on the World Map
When Robert Roberts, MD, joined the University of Ottawa Heart Institute as President and CEO in 2004, he came with a mandate: establish the Institute as a world leader in cardiovascular genetics research. “Over the past 50 or so years, the data have been pretty consistent that somewhere around 50
The Great E-Cigarette Debate: The Potential Risks and Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes
Since 2009, Health Canada has enforced a ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems, known more commonly as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes. The agency cites the potential for nicotine poisoning and addiction as reasons for the ban. But that decision is hardly without controversy in the
The Heart Institute at AHA 2013
With more than 18,000 heath care professionals reportedly in attendance this past November in Dallas, Texas, the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions remains the largest meeting on the science and medicine of heart disease in the world. The impact of the University of Ottawa Heart