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Whether it’s watching television, going for a long drive or spending hours in front of a computer, sitting for long periods of time increases your risk for a variety of health problems, even if you get regular exercise. While regular exercise is key to preventing heart disease, obesity and diabetes

A study of gender differences in mitral valve surgery has generated interest in the professional community because it sheds light on an aspect of valve surgery that hasn’t been well-studied to date. “We know from the medical literature that women typically are referred for diagnostic tests and

It was a cold, wintery morning on January 15 when a crowd of well-wishers joined numerous city and provincial dignitaries to celebrate the groundbreaking for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s expansion project. Many years in the making, the expansion will have a substantial impact on the

Heart failure is an insidious disease. Its symptoms can be vague—including shortness of breath, swelling of the ankles and fatigue. Too often, patients and family doctors miss the warning signs entirely, explained Peter Liu, MD, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research at the

A device about the size of a smartphone is enabling cardiologists to generate images of patients’ hearts at the point of care, enabling them to make more informed diagnoses and even intervene earlier. The result? Improved care and outcomes, and possibly even reduced health care costs. The device is

Arrhythmias — disturbances of the heart’s normal rhythm—affect more than 1.5 million Canadians and can impact a person’s health and well-being in a variety of ways. Sudden cardiac death caused by an arrhythmia kills 40,000 people every year. An estimated 350,000 Canadians are living with atrial

Hospitalization for pneumonia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged and older adults with no history of heart disease, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Presenting his findings at the University of

In October, a crane carefully lowered the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s first dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner into a narrow access way so that it could be rolled through the exterior wall of the building and into position. By early December, the new MRI facility was fully

Heart disease is different for women, and that difference is borne out in almost every aspect of the disease: the factors that lead to it, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and even risk of death. In fact, heart disease kills more women worldwide than all cancers, tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria

Cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation underwent extensive change in the 20th century and continues to evolve rapidly. Andrew Pipe, MD, in his Terry Kavanagh Lecture at the 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, outlined a vision for "CVD Prevention and Rehabilitation in the 21st Century." To