Archive

The Beat Interviews: Dr. Caroline McGuinty

The Beat started this special column to introduce you to the brilliant minds and compassionate hearts who work at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. This week’s feature shines a light on one of the most recent additions to the institute’s team of cardiologists. In less than one year, Dr

Five things learned at this year’s (virtual) heart congress

COVID-19 wasn’t about to shut down Canada’s largest gathering of cardiovascular specialists and allied health professionals. Last month, as public health officials introduced restrictions to prevent mass get-togethers in regions across the country, heart-focused members of the medical community were

“Last ditch effort” may give critically ill patients hope and a “fighting chance”

Cardiogenic shock patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) are among the most critically ill receiving care at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). Most frequently occurring in patients who have suffered a severe heart attack, those with cardiogenic shock have difficulty pumping

The Beat interviews: Dr. Talal Al-Atassi

When did you become interested in a career in medicine? It all started after my tonsillectomy, when I was five-years-old. It was a life-changing experience for me, to meet the doctors and to hear the anesthesiologist say, “I’m going to put you to sleep now.” I was so impressed by the whole

A risk factor for obesity is written in your genes

“Do these genes make me look fat?” A new study suggests the answer is yes, and for the first time ever, scientists believe it is the genes that cause inflammation that are at fault. In a study published in Nature Metabolism, a leading academic journal covering a full-spectrum of metabolic research

Disadvantaged Canadians most affected by COVID-19 pandemic

There’s hardly a place in the world untouched by COVID-19. In April, one month after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic, researchers at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and several other institutions across

"Jump In" for women’s heart health this September

Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide and the leading cause of premature death in Canada, yet women are often understudied, undertreated, and underdiagnosed. This September, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation, with the support of the University of Ottawa Heart

Make the most of your mask this summer: Beat the heat and keep COVID-safe

Our editorial team is taking a short break for summer. Before we go, we’re sharing some tips to help you get the most out of your face coverings, so that you keep cool and COVID-safe this August. July and August have some of the hottest days of the year in Canada. Hot, humid weather poses

Sew much love for Ottawa heart patients: A "thank you" to our community

Our editorial team is working from home to bring you a series of articles about the coronavirus. In this article, the fourth and final issue in our series, we acknowledge and thank our community for their support and donations of hand-sewn masks during the pandemic. Hospitals around the world are

The heart of the angiotensin controversy amid COVID-19: The safety of inhibitors and receptor blockers amid a global pandemic

Our editorial team is working from home to bring you a series of articles about the coronavirus. This article, about a study into the safety of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers in hypertensive patients with COVID-19, is the third in the series