2020 Impact Update — Spring Report by heartandstroke

A fighting chance 2020 Impact Update — Spring Report

Prognosis: Promising When it comes to heart and brain health, women have been shortchanged. But new research advances are closing the gap.

There are real biological differences between the sexes, and not just the obvious ones. Women’s hearts and arteries are smaller, for example, and plaque builds up in their blood vessels differently. However, two-thirds of clinical research into heart disease and stroke is based on men. This research gap is costing lives. In fact, heart disease and stroke are the number one cause of premature death for women in Canada. At every stage – from diagnosis to treatment to recovery – women fare worse than men. Their symptoms often go unrecognized. Some treatments are less effective in women. And women take longer to get better and face higher rates of recurrence.

In 2018, Heart & Stroke launched a campaign to address this gap – and donors and volunteers embraced it. Your generosity led to the creation of a national research network focused on women’s heart and brain health. Heart & Stroke funds are helping dozens of Canadian scientists tackle crucial questions for women’s health. And today, all applications for Heart & Stroke research grants must include an analysis of sex and gender-related differences. Now we’re starting to see results. We are moving from anger to action to answers. It is donors like you who are helping to close the research gap, and empower healthcare professionals to save more women’s lives.

“ Thanks to you, we are making big strides, but much remains to be done. Women are still paying too high a price for gaps in research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.” — Anne Simard, Chief Mission and Research Officer, Heart & Stroke

Think it’s a stroke? Call 9-1-1 immediately When it comes to stroke, every second counts. Literally. Most strokes are caused by a blockage stopping blood flow in the brain. From the second that blockage occurs, the brain is deprived of nutrition and oxygen; brain cells start to die. Don’t wait out symptoms; don’t try to sleep them off. Don’t drive yourself to the hospital. Call 9-1-1 immediately. Dr. Luciana Catanese, a vascular neurolo¬gist at Hamilton Health Sciences, explains: “What can start as a little bit of weakness in one leg can progress rapidly to not being able to wake up from that nap. So as soon as you detect those symptoms, you really have to call 9-1-1.” Once 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers recognize that a person might be having a stroke, the goal is to get the patient to the right care as quickly as possible.

The sooner a patient is seen by a physician with stroke expertise, the sooner they can administer a clot-busting medication if it is within 4 ½ hours after the onset of symptoms.

considered to be the source of information about stroke care in Canada. Relied upon by healthcare professionals across specialty areas, the recommendations provide upto-date information on preventing, treating and managing stroke.

Funded by donors like you, the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations are working to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

“Each second or minute we delay can make a difference between a patient being able to walk on their own or being bedbound forever,” says Dr. Catanese.

Working with experts, Heart & Stroke produces the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations,

Remember: if you or a loved one think it’s a stroke – don’t wait out the symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately!

A valve replacement without open heart surgery

Paul & Shirley Keane

Procedure gives retired doctor a new lease on life Paul Keane was feeling lethargic. The 85-year-old former marathon runner began reducing his daily walks and socializing less with his wife, Shirley, in summer 2019. “People noticed the change in me more than I noticed it myself,” admits Paul, a retired physician. A cardiologist was treating Paul for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which impacts the veins in his legs, as well as atrial fibrillation (Afib), a type of irregular heart rhythm. Then, last fall, routine tests showed Paul had aortic valve stenosis. The valve from his heart that connects to the aorta had narrowed — in his case by 24% — restricting blood flow to his body. Paul knew this would lead to heart failure in time. Instead of open heart surgery to either repair or replace his valve — which is too risky for someone of Paul’s age — he was offered a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A valve made of re-engineered animal heart tissue is implanted using a catheter through a blood vessel.

Paul had surgery at Hamilton General Hospital with local anaesthetic. “It was less intrusive than a visit to the dentist,” says Paul. He went home the next day and soon began feeling like his old self. Exercise classes, long walks and plans for an 86th birthday cruise are now in the works. “This has given me a new lease on life,” Paul says of his new heart valve.

E-cigarettes are addicting a new generation to nicotine Studies confirm skyrocketing e-cigarette use among youth A recent Canadian study showed that in one year vaping among youth increased by 74%. Now one-fifth of grade 7-12 students in Canada vape. Products that were once described as “cigarettes on training wheels” could unfortunately be living up to their description. Research suggests vaping is a gateway to smoking – youth who vape are more likely to try tobacco. Vaping is dangerous, especially for youth.

We don’t want this to become the vaping generation. Heart & Stroke is calling on the federal government to take decisive action to strengthen regulations to protect our youth from vaping. We need your voice again. Thank you for supporting our past efforts to push government and policy makers to strengthen vaping and tobacco control legislation! Find out how you can get involved and lend your voice. Visit heartandstroke.ca/vaping today!

Dr. Gavin Oudit talks to patient Gary Padlewski

A new hope for preventing heart failure Researchers find the cause of up to 20% of heart failure cases

Heart failure. The name says so much about this devastating condition, for which there is no cure. More than 600,000 people in Canada are living with heart failure, and another 50,000 are diagnosed every year. By 2030, it is expected to cost the Canadian economy $2.8 billion per year. Also commonly known as congestive heart failure, heart failure is a longterm, chronic condition that usually gets worse over time, with debilitating symptoms such as shortness of breath, swelling and exhaustion. Now, thanks to your support, there is hope for preventing many cases of heart failure. Dr. Gavin Oudit, whose research receives funding from Heart & Stroke donors, holds the Canada Research Chair in Heart Failure, and directs the Heart Function Clinic at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. Dr. Oudit is passionate about passionate about his search for new therapies for heart failure at the University of Alberta. His international team has identified a molecule, P13K alpha, which leads to dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart’s left ventricle becomes enlarged and weakened. Dilated cardiomyopathy is responsible for as much as 20% of all cases of heart failure. Targeting a key cause By isolating this molecule, Dr. Oudit’s team believe they can develop targeted therapies for people with dilated cardiomyopathy, and reduce their risk of heart failure. “If we can now identify patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, we can target them specifically,” Dr. Oudit explains. “And to take this research right from the molecule to our patients, it’s very rewarding.” He adds: “My goal is to use the knowledge and collaborative strengths we have to translate basic discoveries in the lab into therapies to reduce the burden of heart disease on individuals, their families and the health system.”

Heart-healthy meals: simple, easy, delicious Whether you’re cooking for one, two, or a gang of family and friends, find your next favourite dish in one of our FREE curated recipe lists. Our special recipe collections are selected with care by Heart & Stroke dietitians to help you plan healthy meals that satisfy every taste. From brunch recipes to 30-minute main dishes, you’ll find a collection to suit your needs. All Heart & Stroke recipes are high in fibre and low in saturated fat, added sugars, cholesterol and salt. Get inspired and treat your family and friends to a meal this weekend that’s good for the heart. Visit heartandstroke.ca/recipes and click on Special recipe collections.

PREVENTION CORNER

Canada’s trails: The best that your province has to offer! Walking is the perfect way to get active this spring. What better time to get outside and explore the best that your province has to offer? From Newfoundland to British Columbia, we’ve rounded up some of the best spots to take a leisurely walk or more intense hike to a few extra calories! This roundup of top trails across Canada will inspire you to lace up and get out there! Increase your physical activity and improve your overall health – and enjoy the view: heartandstroke.ca/trails

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