Research

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December 2011

AHA 2011: Canada’s Unique Role in Global Cardiovascular Health

Following Burgon’s talk at the International Forum, Philip Devereaux of McMaster University spoke about Canada’s unique place in the world of cardiovascular medicine. Not only is cardiovascular disease (CVD) the leading cause of death globally but by 2020, the incidence in developing countries is expected to increase 120 per cent for women and 137 per cent for men. In developed countries, the increase is expected to be 30 and 60 per cent, respectively.

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December 2011

CCC 2011: Imaging the Inner Workings of the Heart

Coronary artery disease is an inflammatory condition characterized by plaque deposits, which can rupture, causing heart attack and stroke. The Holy Grail for researchers remains finding a way to non-invasively determine which plaques are at risk for rupture. Several graduate students discussed research into whether advanced imaging techniques can provide this information.

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December 2011

CCC 2011: Simulator Practice Improves Surgical Skills

In a featured research presentation, surgical resident Dr. Joel Price discussed the use of a low-tech simulator to give trainee surgeons after-hours practice time to hone their technique. Surgical skills are usually learned directly on patients in the OR, but a variety of evolving issues are making this approach insufficient. These include the increasing complexity of procedures, restrictions on the number of hours that trainees can be required to work and an ever-more litigious society.

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December 2011

CCC 2011: Effectiveness of Heart Transplantation

A review of 25 years of heart transplant cases showed that the surgical procedure is a highly effective form of treatment. Cardiac surgeon Dr. Marc Ruel presented findings from 461 Heart Institute transplant patients showing that survival rates are high. This is particularly true over the past decade, where eight-year post-procedure survival is nearing 90 per cent. Over the full period of the review, five-year survival was 75 per cent.

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December 2011

CCC 2011: Automated Telephone Follow-up for Smoking Cessation

The Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation is a highly successful and widely adopted program for getting hospitalized patients to quit smoking. The intervention is most effective when support continues beyond discharge. Staff follow-up is a resource-intensive approach to maintaining patient contact. Kerri-Anne Mullen, Network Manager for the program, presented a study examining the impact of an automated telephone follow-up system using interactive voice response (IVR) technology.

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