 |
 |
     |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
       |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
My message in the Spring 2006 Bulletin outlined the plans and structure that the Board of Directors have put in place to carry out the activities of your Alumni. In this message, you will learn of changes in the Alumni's activities that will be made, starting in September 2006. At the request of Dr. Robert Roberts, President of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, your Vice-president Gene Szabo and I met with him in late April. Dr. Roberts explained to us that the basement location of the operating rooms and the catheterization laboratories are badly overcrowded, causing unacceptably high rates of infection. Because there is no room to expand these facilities, there is an urgent need to relocate them. Preliminary estimates for construction, equipment and furnishings are about $150 million. The Heart Institute will have to raise about half of this from sources other than the Government of Ontario. To obtain provincial funding, a detailed project plan that identifies proposed funding must have the approval of the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care by this fall if the project is to be included in the current planning cycle. A major source of funds is donations made to the Heart Institute, through the Foundation and through the Alumni. Because there is currently an unprecedented competitive demand for charitable donations in the community, concurrent with a need to maximize donations to the Institute, Dr. Roberts advised us that he has decided that, effective September 1, 2006, all fund raising responsibility and activities for the Institute will be done by one organization - the Foundation. Dr. Roberts also presented us with a paper entitled "The Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni - A New Beginning", which starts with an acknowledgment that "the Alumni has been and will remain an important contributor to the success of the Heart Institute."
A New Beginning was presented to the Alumni Board at its May meeting. After much discussion, Gene Szabo was tasked with forming a committee of the Board to further investigate the proposal. The committee met on three occasions and discussed at great length the intent and the implications of the proposal. While there was reluctance for the Alumni to give up fund raising, the collection and provision of patient feedback to the Institute, along with improved support by the Institute, was seen to be an opportunity to enhance the Alumni's role by clearly becoming advocates for patients. However, because The New Beginning did not provide details explaining how it would be achieved, Gene wrote to Dr. Roberts to request more detail on the proposal and to suggest a meeting with him and the appropriate Institute staff. Dr. Roberts' reply provided additional information and he requested an early meeting, which took place on August 16th. Dr. Roberts noted the Alumni's uniqueness, the importance of its contribution to the success of the Heart Institute and the Institute's desire that Alumni continue to contribute to that success. The Institute will continue to excel as the provider of cardiac care to a population of 1.2 million in the Champlain District of Eastern Ontario and 400,000 in Western Québec, as well as in research and education. While funding is expected, to achieve the Institute's goals, the Foundation must significantly increase donations to the Institute. The participation and support of the Alumni in this endeavour will be an important signal to the community that the Alumni is continuing its commitment to assist the Heart Institute to be a leader in cardiac care. I encourage all Alumni members to respond as positively as you can to appeals that you may receive from the Foundation. Further meetings are being scheduled to negotiate the details of The New Beginning. When the mutual and separate responsibilities of the Institute, the Foundation and the Alumni have been sufficiently defined, a joint communiqué will be sent to all Alumni members. This "New Beginning" is really an evolution of the Alumni that will strengthen its voice and help improve services to our members. The advocacy role will bring the Alumni Board and the members closer. So that everyone can be heard, we will continue to improve the various communication channels that now include the website, where members can post their thoughts on the Talk Heart! Forum (www.ottawaheartalumni.ca - on the Welcome page, click on "Talk Heart") e-mail (info@ottawaheartalumni.ca) the telephone at the Alumni Office (613-761-4370). Your input into this evolution is most welcome. As I am writing this in the latter part of August, there are signs that autumn is approaching, which reminds me that the fall lecture will be on October 18th in the Foustanellas Auditorium. Our speaker, Beth Mansfield, is a nutritionist and dietician. I am told that she may bring some heart healthy nibbles for us to try. I hope to see you there. 
Sunday, January 15, 2006 was a brutally cold morning and when I stepped out to run a few errands, I thought the first breath I took had frozen my lungs. I had difficulty getting a satisfying amount of oxygen and my chest felt very constricted. I continued on my way, but when I returned home an hour later I was still uncomfortable. I loosened my shirt, kicked off my shoes and lay down. I felt as though an elephant was sitting on my chest and I was beginning to perspire. I chewed an aspirin, called my wife and off to the General Campus of the Ottawa Hospital we went. I was anticipating an uncomfortable hour or so in the waiting room, but as soon as my wife announced that we thought I was having a heart attack, I was ushered in. After answering only a few questions, it became apparent to the triage nurse that I was in need of immediate attention. He had my wife complete the admission information while I was placed on a stretcher, stripped, covered with sticky ECG pasties, given two baby aspirin and eight clot busters. The emergency staff quickly determined that indeed I was experiencing a heart attack. I had a blocked artery that required immediate attention. "Why didn't you call 9-1-1?" I was asked. "Because I knew I could get here more quickly in my own car, my wife drove." "The ambulance would have taken you directly to the U of O Heart Institute (you fool)." The staff at the General corrected my mistake when they reloaded me into a waiting ambulance and I was quickly transported to the Heart Institute where a waiting emergency team performed an emergency angioplasty procedure on my right coronary artery which was 90% blocked. Total time from when I conceded I needed attention, while still at home, to a warm blanket in a U of O Heart Institute recovery room - less than 2.5 hours. This program offered at the U of O Heart Institute is a world-wide one of a kind. It is referred to as STEMI program: ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. Paramedics are trained to identify the warning signs indicating an arterial blockage and then circumvent the normal admissions procedure, transporting the patient directly to a special team where the blockage is dealt with immediately with an angioplasty procedure. A lead is inserted into the femoral artery in one's groin and fished to the blocked area in the heart. The lead end is made up of a balloon and a stent. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to force the plaque up against the arterial walls and then the stent is deployed to hold the bad stuff there. Think of the stent as similar to a spring you might find in a ball point pen, but instead of springing vertically, the spring mechanism activates horizontally, forcing everything away from the center of the artery towards the artery wall. Arriving around noon on Sunday, I was the fifth patient to have a stent put in place that day. The program is, to say the least, a huge success as it negates the need for more invasive bypass surgeries and sees the patients return to a normal lifestyle within weeks. My progress will be monitored by a cardiac rehab team at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. This team is made up of the following staff: nurse, physiotherapist, nutritionist, social worker, vocational therapist, smoking cessation consultant and, of course, a cardiologist. Over the next several months they will also teach me proper nutrition and exercise techniques. Thank goodness I quit smoking twenty months ago. I witnessed the withdrawal in the faces of so many other patients in the recovery room. Jim Graves, Ottawa Editor's Note: Thank you Jim for your thoughtful article. We welcome members sharing first-hand experiences.
An Interview with Dr. Terry Ruddy, MD, FRCPC, FACC,
Dr. Ruddy joined the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) as a Cardiologist in 1986. He graduated with an MD degree cum laude from the University of Toronto, receiving many awards. He completed his Internship and Residencies in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Toronto. Following this, Dr. Ruddy received a Clinical and Research Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and at Harvard University. Dr. Ruddy has a clear vision and shares it with great enthusiasm and candour. Just as his predecessors, he intends to make a strong imprint on the Division of Cardiology. It is already world-class in clinical services and in the education of resident doctors, a great foundation for the future. With the full support of Dr. Roberts, Dr. Ruddy is intent on making the Division world-class in research as well. He sees this as a natural evolution that will build on the strengths of the UOHI. Dr. Ruddy said: "The challenge will be to maintain the Institute's already high reputation for clinical care and education while strengthening its research productivity." With obvious respect, he acknowledges the Division's fine group of researchers and emphasizes their abilities and accomplishments. What is needed now is "to systematically attract and recruit top research talent to complement these professionals and ongoing successful research programs." At the same time, Dr. Ruddy is leading the charge to improve patient support by increasing the number of clinics, tailoring them for specific services, interests, and demographics. The clinics will be networked for greater effectiveness and efficiency under the auspices of the new Risk Reduction Clinic. The work will be shared between doctors and skilled nurses to capitalize on their specific skills and experience. He emphasizes "this will allow for better monitoring of patients both in person as well as at their home, by using "tele-health" technology to alleviate any distance barriers." An additional benefit of this approach will be the development of care maps to guide best practices for health care professionals in prescribing treatments to their patients. These far-reaching initiatives would be plenty for most individuals! But Dr. Ruddy is also dedicated to continuing his research into endothelial function using ultrasound and radiotracer techniques. By means of Positron Emission Tomographic (PET) Imaging he intends to develop new imaging techniques for assessing blood flow and in turn the condition of the heart. He also heads Nuclear Cardiology, the largest dedicated service in Canada, and ranked as one of the best in North America. Finally, Dr. Ruddy has some strong views on the role of the Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni. He sees the Alumni as a vital source of input on clinical care and how the UOHI could continuously improve its portfolio of services and their delivery. He hopes the Alumni will take on an even greater role in offering patient to patient education, based on the members' invaluable first hand experiences. He also expressed his appreciation of the timely financial contribution that the Alumni have made over the years in replacing beds and other needed equipment. He suggests "although the need is there for such upgrades, there is also a need to help finance some of the costs of the clinics. It is not just bricks and mortar, it is people that will make the difference." In that regard, he strongly valued the quick action of the Alumni Board defraying the expected shortfall for the operation of the Anticoagulation Clinic so that it can continue to operate for the rest of 2006. On behalf of the Alumni Board, we wish Dr. Ruddy much success in implementing his bold vision and leading the Division of Cardiology to even greater professional excellence by raising the research program to world-class status. We are indeed very fortunate to be able to count on the UOHI for all medical matters of the heart. By John Herzog, Board Director
The Annual General Meeting was held on June 6, 2006 with the Board of Directors and close to 100 members in attendance. In addition to the business side of the evening, everyone enjoyed the guest speaker, the Minister of Health Promotion, the Honourable Jim Watson, MPP, as well as their dinner at Capone's Restaurant. The first order of business was the review of the financial statements. As is customary, our two major awards were presented by the Association to deserving members of the UOHI. The Wilbert J. Keon Award was presented to Michael Ling, Chief Resident in Cardiology. This award is given to a resident or a fellow in training at the Heart Institute who demonstrates a high degree of professional competence, exceptional levels of commitment and motivation, and an ability to work effectively as a team player. Dr. Ling has demonstrated all of these as Chief Cardiology Resident. Dr. Ling thanked the Association in an eloquent speech, emphasizing his appreciation for the opportunity to serve his residency at the UOHI and the excellent educational program it provided. He spoke highly of his mentors and colleagues who were instrumental in his achievements and this recognition. The Mary Clinckett Alumni Award was presented to Christine Bohan, Booking Officer for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories. This award is given to any employee or volunteer working at the Heart Institute who demonstrates an outstanding contribution to the workplace, including exemplary compassion and enthusiasm. Christine Bohan has continuously demonstrated these qualities in her twenty-five years here at the Heart Institute. Ms. Bohan expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Alumni as well as her fellow workers who were present and who enthusiastically endorsed her nomination. She reminisced about Mary Clinkett, whom she had the privilege of knowing, making this award very special to her.
 
by Dr. Marc Ruel Our Spring Lecture on April 26, 2006, was delivered by Dr. Marc Ruel MD, MPH, FRCSC, FCCP, cardiac surgeon at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. A native of Québec City, Dr. Ruel received his Medical Doctor degree with Honours from the University of Ottawa in 1994 and his Specialist Certification in Cardiac Surgery in 2000. He was awarded scholarships to pursue post-specialization studies at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Ruel's surgical areas of focus include minimally invasive and beating heart bypass surgery, which diminish the risks associated with surgery in patients with complex medical problems. Dr. Ruel and his team have developed a new bypass surgery procedure that avoids the use of aortic manipulations, the heart-lung machine, the breastbone incision, and vein grafts. The procedure is feasible and can potentially be executed by surgeons who are already very familiar with off-pump bypass procedures. In his experience with this procedure, the mean length of hospital stay has been four days, and the median number of grafts per patient was three. All patients except one received arterial grafts only. The success of his approach is underscored by the fact that the new procedures were free of major complications and deaths, and all patients were back to full physical activity within a month. As of this writing, all patients remain angina free. Clearly, this Multi Vessel Small Thoracotomy ("MVST") procedure is proving to be feasible and safe, and constitutes an important new tool in the treatment of coronary heart disease. On behalf of the Alumni, our President, Denny Doucette thanked Dr. Ruel for illuminating us on this important topic and wished Dr. Ruel continued success.
Although Jacques joined only in September 2005, he has already identified a number of key objectives and developed many new ideas to implement them. He quickly recognized that The Beat, the official UOHI newsletter, was trying to serve internal and external audiences, with significantly diverse interests. Hence he introduced "The Beat This Week", which is now delivered electronically to all staff. As he said: "The intent is to keep the UOHI family current with the latest medical as well as personnel news." He then reshaped The Beat to serve external stakeholders. Under Jacques' close attention, it is aimed at becoming a top-notch monthly medical journal focusing largely on the achievements of the Institute. These include such diverse accomplishments as breakthroughs in clinical services and research to the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment. The magazine frequently showcases the medical staff and recognizes the contributions they have made to the UOHI, its patients, and indeed to the world. "The Beat" is regularly mailed to members of Canada's (and beyond) cardiovascular community, the media, and politicians to keep them apprised of the excellent work of the Institute and enhance its high reputation. Jacques talks with excitement about ideas to introduce a series of focused newsletters, from technical ones for peer-to-peer distribution in our Champlain District, to perhaps editing a scientific digest of medical papers for the busy doctors. He quickly points out that he views the Alumni, with its new website and The Bulletin, to be in a singularly advantageous position to provide patient centric information to its members. He volunteers his views on how the Alumni might benefit from his support of our communications program by regularly providing articles of interest to our members. Together we will develop an action plan to accomplish this, focusing on the breakthroughs in clinical services and research. On a personal note, Jacques is an avid and accomplished sailor. May he encounter only favourable winds and much success as he sails through uncharted waters.
Scott Chamberlain, Hubert Drouin, and Ted Legg were nominated and elected to serve three-year terms on the Alumni Board of Directors.  Scott Chamberlain is a lawyer by profession. He has a BA from Carleton University and an LLB from the University of Ottawa. After his tenure with a local labour law firm, in 2004 he became General Counsel and Labour Relations Lawyer with the Association of Canadian Financial Officers. Scott and his wife Janice and son William live in Alta Vista. Hubert E. Drouin is the Executive Director of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Hubert attended the University of Ottawa and joined the management team at Bell Canada for several years before moving over to the health sector, working for non-for-profit organizations since 1972. In his current position as CEO, he has responsibilities in public policy issues for ophthalmology as well as the continuing professional development portfolio. Hubert and his wife Diane are the parents of one son Paul and live in Alta Vista. E.J. (Ted) Legg holds a B.Com degree from Loyola/Concordia University in Montreal. He has been a long time senior executive with Transport Canada. In his retirement, he is the Deputy Regional Director of the Federal Government Superannuates and member of the Canadian Seniors Partnership Citizens Advisory Panel. Ted was Treasurer for the Senior Citizens Council of Ottawa and is the 2006 recipient of the Don Yeoman's Federal Superannuates Volunteer of the Year award. Ted and his wife Jennie are the parents of two sons, and live in Ottawa.
Heart Institute Research Expected to Fuel Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute has revealed that one of the most common forms of heart disease - atrial fibrillation (AF) - is caused by a genetic mutation that occurs during in-utero development. The landmark discovery provides a fresh view of how common diseases may develop and is expected to fuel targeted therapies that help eliminate or prevent AF, which affects millions of North Americans and is responsible for more than a third of all strokes. Details of the discovery are being reported in today's issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (vol. 354, No. 25, pp. 2637-2744, www.nejm.org). The work has been led by the Heart Institute's Dr. Michael Gollob, a clinical arrhythmia specialist and geneticist who heads the Arrhythmia Research Lab affiliated with the Institute's Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre™. Atrial Fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular beat). AF is a rapid, irregular fluttering of the heart's beat caused by random electrical discharges. Instead of pumping effectively, the condition can allow blood to pool and clot in the heart, and sometimes can trigger a stroke. In the U.S., more than 3.0 million people and in Canada some 250,000 people are estimated to have persistent AF. AF increases the risk of stroke significantly and is responsible for more than 75,000 strokes in the U.S. at a cost of more than US$1 billion. It is known that defective genes can be inherited and can lead to familial disease. However, it has not been well established that mutations during in-utero development (somatic mutation) can also trigger disease. Noting that cases of familial AF are rare, the researchers hypothesized that cases of AF for which there is no obvious cause (idiopathic) might be due to a somatic mutation confined to the heart tissue. Dr. Gollob and colleagues focused on a gene (GJA5) which makes a protein known as Connexin 40. The protein is specific to the atrial tissue of the heart and plays a crucial role in how electrical impulses are conducted. They discovered genetic mutations in the Connexin 40 gene in AF patients. Researchers proved the disease was tissue-specific and not present in all body cells by detecting the mutation only in the heart tissue and not in the blood cells of affected patients. Currently, AF is treated with medications that do not specifically target the Connexin 40 protein. A mechanical procedure called catheter ablation is also employed but it is invasive and significant complications can arise, including stroke and death. By unlocking the mechanism responsible for AF, it is expected that novel drug treatments that target Connexin 40 will be developed to modify or control the disease. "First, this study confirms that Connexin 40 plays a critical role in the electrical conduction in the atrium of the heart," said Dr. Gollob. "Second, current medications have a moderate effect at best. These findings suggest that drugs targeting Connexin 40 may lead to more effective treatment for AF. Third, it also shows that common idiopathic diseases may have a genetic basis with the genetic defect confined to the diseased tissue." "This is a significant development in understanding the causes of heart disease," said Dr. Robert Roberts, President & CEO. "We salute the impressive accomplishment of Dr. Gollob and his team and note the important contribution of the Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre."
Following is a delicious recipe for a very healthy smoothie that I have made many times since I discovered it on the web last month: Diana's Phytochemical Super Shake Used with permission from Diana Dyer, MS, RD, author of the book A Dietitian's Cancer Story and website www.CancerRD.com.
Makes 3 cups This shake rocks! It equals one serving of vegetables, two servings of fruit, one serving of soy, one serving of ground flaxseed, and one serving of whole grain (wheat bran plus wheat germ) -- plus one-third of your daily fiber. It's also delicious!
Put all the ingredients in a blender. Process on low speed, then increase to high for 1 to 3 minutes, or until fully blended. Per shake: 313 cal, 18 g pro, 49 g carb, 9 g fat, 9 g fiber, 565 mg calcium, 89 mg sodium Happy browsing! By Louise Clément
Whether you are a regular Web surfer or a casual user of the Internet, in short a Webster, checkout www.ottawaheartalumni.ca for a pleasant surprise. Since May, our website has undergone significant transformation and updates. You will now find timely updates covering activities of the Alumni, advancements in the treatment of cardiac diseases, ideas for heart-healthy living, and other items of general interest to our members and the public. We also post every back issue of The Bulletin for those who like to browse. By the way, did you know that we have over 30,000 hits a month and a very large proportion of them by international visitors to the site?
Our Communications Committee, Chaired by John Herzog, and most ably assisted by our Webmaster Louise Clément, President of CommPath (www.commpath.com), a Web development and maintenance company, welcome and value your comments and suggestions by mail to the Alumni Office or e-mail to info@ottawaheartalumni.ca. Are you the Webster we are looking for?
You are invited to join us for a most interesting talk on heart-healthy eating that will add years to your life! First we're told that we can't eat eggs because they are too high in cholesterol. Then we are told that omega 3 eggs are healthy for your heart. Heart health experts say drink wine to your heart's health but grape juice makers say that there are more health benefits in their grape juice than in the wines made from the same grapes. A daily caffeine jolt in the morning is supposedly bad but research now says that regular coffee drinkers are healthier than those who don't drink coffee at all. Are you tired of all the conflicting messages about what you should eat or drink for your health? Come and enjoy a refreshing evening with Registered Dietitian and Physical Activity Specialist, Elizabeth (Beth) Mansfield. Beth is a popular corporate wellness speaker throughout Canada and also maintains a therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) clinic for people with elevated cholesterol at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. She is currently working on her PhD at McGill University focusing on energy balance and body composition in health and disease. You can check out her show on CJOH/CTV the 1st Wednesday of every month with Leanne Cusack on the News at Noon.
Please confirm by phone at 613-761-4370 if you wish to attend
The Bulletin is published in Ottawa by the Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni Inc., a not-for-profit corporation located at 40 Ruskin Street. It is distributed free to members of the Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni and contains information on health and other matters of interest to members. Contents do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Board of Directors nor does the Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni Inc. nor the producers nor the printers and distributors of the publication assume any responsibility for opinions expressed. All communications and contributions should be sent to the address below. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40045889 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: Bulletin Editor email: info@ottawaheartalumni.ca Editor: John P. Herzog Contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission. The Bulletin is intended for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific conditions. You should seek medical advice for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regime. Website:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
go back Membership | Donations | Awards | Lectures | The Bulletin | Hearty Living | Videos News and Events | About OHIA | Contact Us | Home | Français The Ottawa Heart Institute Alumni Inc. - Disclaimer © 2009 www.ottawaheartalumni.ca design by CommPath |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dr. Terry (Terrence) Ruddy, MD, FRCPC, FACC, is the new Chief of the Division of Cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, succeeding Dr. Lyall Higginson, MD, FRCPC, who continues to be an active member of the Division.
(An early draft was published in the Spring edition of The Bulletin. Members who would like a copy of the final statements can have one sent by contacting the Alumni office). Our President, Denny Doucette, summarized the accomplishments of the past year. These included the organization of the highly informative Spring and Fall lectures, covering developments in the treatment of heart disease. In 2005, on your behalf, $240,000 was contributed to the Ottawa University Heart Institute to purchase patient chairs, total care beds and patient stretchers, and to support the operation of the Heart Health Education Centre and Nursing Education.
The Institute's Dr. Andrew Pipe, who at this time is serving on a special advisory committee to the Minister, introduced the Honourable Jim Watson. Minister Watson spoke with enthusiasm about a number of significant achievements that the Ontario Government has accomplished to fight heart disease. These include the elimination of junk food in school vending machines, the passage of the Smoke Free Ontario Act, and considerable new funding for health care institutions, including those in Ottawa. His Ministry is also actively working with corporations, other levels of governments, and advisory committees, the objectives are to fight obesity, especially in children, through the promotion of exercise and healthy living, and to help establish more preventive practices to reduce diabetes.
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute recently established the position of Vice President, Communications. The successful candidate was Jacques Guerette, a seasoned communications professional who has a welcoming smile and an easy-going personality.
Have you browsed the Web lately? For those of you who are not aware, the Alumni's own website has been revamped with new sections, one of which is the 
In this 
We also introduced a new feature, the Talk Heart! Forum. Here you can post questions or respond to those posted by others to share experiences and provide a helping hand. With your active participation, we see this as a significant vehicle to exchange information between our members, provide input to the Alumni and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and network with new friends around the world. Give it a try, register, and have fun!