Helping Men Deal with the Emotional Impact of Heart Disease
Men and women tend to deal with life changing circumstances differently. Heart disease is no exception, and the issues men experience often are not specifically addressed. “Cultural expectations are that men shouldn’t show any emotions because that’s somehow perceived as weak,” said Heather Tulloch
Using Imaging to Diagnose and Understand Cardiac Sarcoidosis (CCC 2016)
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory condition that can affect multiple organs in the body. Cardiac sarcoidosis is a rare type in which clusters of white blood cells, called granulomas, form in the tissue of the heart. Affecting about 5% of people who suffer from sarcoidosis, it can impact the electrical
40th Anniversary Flashback: The RAFT Trial
Roughly half a million Canadians live with heart failure. The condition is an increasingly common one that can seriously impact an individual’s quality of life. Even when appropriately treated, hospital admission and readmission rates are stubbornly high. Traditionally, therapeutic implants called
The Importance of Best Practices for Successful Smoking Cessation
Cigarette smokers face twice the risk of heart disease compared with non-smokers, and most of them—more than 60%—want to quit. About half of Canadian smokers try to kick tobacco every year. Unfortunately, the likelihood of success for those who attempt to quit on their own is dismal: fewer than 5%
40th Anniversary Flashback: The Tale of the Mummy
It was a cold November night in 2008. All was quiet save the wind whistling through the bare trees, dark against the evening sky. Inside the computed tomography (CT) suite of the Ottawa Heart Institute, a small group stood hushed with anticipation. It would be a night that none of them would ever
Occupational Therapy Found to Uniquely Reduce Hospital Readmissions
Occupational therapy is proving to be one of the most important ways to avoid readmission to hospital. This was the finding of a study recently published in the journal Medical Care Research and Review which found readmission rates for heart patients were lower in hospitals that invested more in
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2016
The world’s largest cardiovascular conference, the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, convenes in New Orleans on November 12. The Ottawa Heart Institute has 45 program items on the agenda covering a wide range of science and clinical practice. Find it all with our program guide. 2016
Cardiac Arrest: Caring for the Brain as Well as the Heart
Survival rates for cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting are poor. Only about 5% of people survive, though encouraging people to get trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the placement of defibrillators in public places like sports and recreation facilities have improved the
Heart Institute CCC 2016 Program Guide
Nearly 70 Ottawa Heart Institute program items will be on tap this year at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal. Topics range widely across basic research, clinical research and clinical practice. Our program guide will help you find them all. A particular highlight will be the Heart
40th Anniversary Flashback: World's First Point-of-Care Genetic Test
In 2012, the promise of using genetic information to personalize patient care made a leap forward at the Ottawa Heart Institute, with the introduction of the RAPID GENE test. Patients who get a cardiac stent to open a blocked artery must take medication to prevent blood clots. Clopidogrel is most