Alirocumab is an injectable monoclonal antibody directed against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) that reduces the level of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and other atherogenic lipoproteins. The ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial demonstrated that in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome who were receiving high-intensity statins, alirocumab reduced the risk of recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events and lowered the rate of […]
CSL112 is an apolipoprotein A1 (apoA-I) derived from human plasma, and is a component of high-density lipoprotein (known as the “good” cholesterol). CSL112 removes plaque from the arteries, and helps facilitate cholesterol efflux, the removal process of low-density lipoprotein (known as the “bad” cholesterol) from the body. The AEGIS-II trial determined that CSL112, when compared to placebo, […]
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Heart Association, Circulation commissioned “thought leaders and luminaries” in cardiovascular medicine to provide a series of articles throughout 2024. Included in this Centennial Collection is a perspective from CVC Founding Director, Dr. Paul Armstrong, entitled Global Collaborative Cardiovascular Research: The Collective Wisdom of Countries. His article highlights how large international randomized […]
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common abnormal heart rhythm disorder, is a major cause of stroke in older adults. Oral anticoagulation therapy (OAC) is an effective and widely-available treatment method for reducing the risk of stroke and improving survival rates in patients with AF; however, significant gaps in the appropriate delivery of this therapy exist. […]
The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most common, affordable, and accessible tool used to diagnose cardiovascular (CV) disease. The clinical role of machine learning-based ECG algorithms is gaining prominence since these models can detect early signs of CV disease, including conditions not typically associated with conventional interpretation of ECG data. In a recently published study […]
The built environment can impact health outcomes, and for children in particular, their wellbeing may be affected by the quality and quantity of physical activity they can access within their communities. In a recently published study in Childhood Obesity, researchers sought to examine how elements of the built environment impact activity and excess weight in preschool-aged […]
A hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test measures a person’s average blood sugar (glucose) level during the past 2 to 3 months, and is an important tool for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring diabetes. Growing evidence suggests that HbA1c can also be a marker for risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals without diabetes, however, whether there are […]
Heart failure is a serious condition that occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the body. It has been declared a worldwide epidemic and has a growing cost on the healthcare system as well as a high mortality rate. One of the most common types of heart failure is called heart […]
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a surgical procedure that improves blood flow to the heart by using a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in the body to develop a new pathway around an artery blockage. Patients who have undergone prior CABG and have an acute coronary syndrome (ACS, a range of conditions in which […]
Heart failure is a condition that generally results in deterioration of quality of life (QoL) in addition to increased risk of mortality. While both of these factors influence patient treatment goals, assessing and improving QoL as well as length of life has not been the primary focus of most contemporary research. In an article published […]
The COMPASS trial demonstrated that low-dose rivaroxaban with aspirin improved cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), a condition caused by plaque buildup on the artery walls. In a recent publication in Atherosclerosis, researchers evaluated the possible clinical implications of this therapeutic strategy in a population of Canadian patients with ASCVD. The study population was a retrospective […]
Congratulations to Principal Investigator Dr. Padma Kaul and her team of Co-Investigators (including the CVC’s Drs. Sunil Vasu Kalmady and Roopinder Sandhu) on receiving a Spring 2024 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant for the Evaluating Community Gathered ECGs for Survival and Adverse Event Forecasting (ECG-SAFE) study. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a common medical test that artificial intelligence […]
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) screening is a computed tomography (CT) scan of the heart that shows calcium buildup in the coronary arteries. This test provides a numbered score based on the amount of calcium present, with a higher score signifying a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). At present, CAC testing is not commonly used […]
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common abnormal heart rhythm disorder encountered in practice and it is responsible for considerable healthcare use and costs. Studies have shown that females with AF experience more symptoms, more functional impairment, and are more likely to suffer from AF-related clinical consequences compared to males. However, how these sex differences […]
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) occurs when the left ventricle of the heart is unable to pump out blood effectively. Despite current treatment strategies, there continues to be a high risk of adverse outcomes for HFrEF patients, particularly those who have had a worsening heart failure (HF) event. The VICTORIA trial demonstrated that the drug […]
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined how running a sub-4 minute mile impacts longevity and healthy aging. The study was a collaborative undertaking between researchers in the U of A’s Faculty of Nursing, the HEART Laboratory at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, with methodological and analytical expertise […]
Developments in the field of heart failure have led to increased available therapies, including medications, devices, and patient-driven interventions such as exercise and diet. In a recent review published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, researchers evaluated the current state of evidence for dietary sodium and fluid restriction, two common interventions for heart failure patients. Over the […]
Diuretics are drugs designed to help the kidney flush excess fluid from the body and are a key treatment strategy for heart failure patients with an overload of fluid. While diuretics are a mainstay in clinical practice, there are varying perspectives on which diuretics should be used and the appropriate dosage. Published in the European Journal […]
A recent study, published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, examined whether rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a type of diabetes that emerges during pregnancy, and preeclampsia, a complication linked to high blood pressure that typically develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, are on the rise. Both of these conditions can result in serious health […]
A central goal in the management of heart failure (HF) is to improve patient health status and functional capacity, characterized by the ability to perform tasks and activities essential to day-to-day living. Two common tools used to measure health status and functional capacity in HF are the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-Physical Limitation Score (KCCQ-PLS), a […]
