Heart & Stroke 2023 Winter impact report

Beat as one

Winter 2023 Impact Report

Big breakthroughs. Better health. Because of YOU.

Expectations are high for the research teams led by Dr. Douglas Lee (left) and Dr. Peter Liu.

The heart-brain connection: A bold new direction In Canada, 20% more people die of heart and brain related conditions than from all cancers. The heart and brain are so connected that developing one condition means being at risk of others. For example, people with heart failure are three times more likely to have a stroke.

Yet our healthcare system is based on a “single disease” model, with different conditions typically treated by different specialists.

Change is coming with the recent announcement of the $6 million Heart-Brain Connection IMPACT Award, a groundbreaking collaboration between Heart & Stroke and Brain Canada.

This award will fund two multi-disciplinary research teams involving close to 100 experts across Canada, over four years.

One team is led by Dr. Peter Liu, a cardiologist at the University of Ottawa. He is motivated by “seeing patients fall through the cracks created when heart and brain conditions are treated and researched separately.” His

project aims to develop new tools to predict who is at risk, and new treatments to protect both heart and brain.

Dr. Douglas Lee, of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto’s University Health Network, heads the other team.

His study will find better ways to diagnose possible strokes early and prevent devastating effects such as paralysis.

The teams include expertise ranging from engineering to population health. Uniquely, they also include people with lived experience of heart and brain diseases, to ensure that the research is focused on solving real, pressing needs.

This innovative, four-year collaboration is a critical new step toward building a better understanding of the heartbrain connection and improving health outcomes for all Canadians.

“ Putting research into action by sharing knowledge and results are critical components of this award.”

Doug Roth CEO, Heart & Stroke

Beat heart disease. Beat stroke. Together, we will push research forward.

To learn more, visit: heartandstroke.ca/research

Innovative research will save women’s lives Dr. Kara Nerenberg’s work holds promise for preventing heart disease and stroke

“ We know that several common conditions that occur in pregnancy actually increase a woman’s future risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Dr. Kara Nerenberg Heart & Stroke researcher

Dr. Kara Nerenberg has heard too many stories of women in their 50s or 60s who suddenly have a stroke or are diagnosed with heart disease out of the blue.

To prevent surprises like this, her research at the University of Calgary looks for cardiovascular warning signs earlier in life. She’s zeroing in on pregnancy as an opportunity to assess women’s risk factors and take steps to prevent a future heart attack or stroke.

“It’s a time where women truly are interacting with the healthcare system,” says Dr. Nerenberg, who holds the Heart & Stroke Mid-Career Women’s Heart and Brain Health Chair.

She points to the high blood pressure disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. Women with these conditions are four times more likely to develop chronic high blood pressure

Take charge of your blood pressure Yours to Control is an 8-12 week program from Heart & Stroke, in the free PC Health App. It helps you create small lifestyle changes to positively impact your blood pressure. High blood pressure is the #1 risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. Create healthy habits to last a lifetime and earn PC OptimumTM points along the way. To get the app, go to: pchealth.ca 2

problems and twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke , Dr. Nerenberg says.

To change women’s outcomes, Dr. Nerenberg developed a research program called IMPROVE (Identifying Methods for Postpartum Reduction of Vascular Events), which looked at women’s interactions with the healthcare system, including how often they are screened for cholesterol and diabetes after having a baby, and whether a follow-up program could reduce heart disease risk factors.

“If we can implement early screening for cardiovascular risk factors, management and prevention interventions early after pregnancy, we really believe that there’s the opportunity to prevent these cardiovascular disorders in the future.” Knowing her work is supported by Heart & Stroke donors, she adds: “I’m really proud and grateful.”

New hope for damaged hearts, made possible by you Nanotechnology could help repair muscle and prevent heart failure

“ Heart & Stroke is allowing me to train the next generation of scientists and come up with new solutions in the area of repairing the heart.”

Dr. Emilio Alarcon Heart & Stroke researcher

Problem: A heart attack can leave the heart muscle damaged and unable to beat properly, leading to heart failure.

Solution: A patch that combines natural collagen and nano-engineering could repair damage and keep the heart beating.

To explain his research, Dr. Emilio Alarcon talks about decorating a birthday cake with a handful of tiny sprinkles.

In this case the sprinkles are metal nanoparticles that conduct electricity, and the cake is fibre engineered from naturally occurring collagen. By combining them, his team at the University of Ottawa is developing a new material that mimics heart muscle.

“The hope is that this will help the heart to beat,” repairing damage caused by a heart attack and preventing heart failure, he says.

“We will create an implantable patch which would degrade as natural cells grow around it, ultimately blending with the heart to produce a bio-synthetic muscle.”

None of this would be possible without donors like YOU. “Heart & Stroke has the vision to fund things that are innovative,” says Dr. Alarcon.

The flu shot: There’s still time to protect yourself Having the flu can increase the risk of another stroke or heart attack, says Heart & Stroke researcher and stroke neurologist Dr. Alexandre Poppe. “Studies have shown that the risk of stroke or heart attack increases shortly after a flu infection, but probably even more in someone who is predisposed to stroke.”

He stresses the importance of getting both a flu shot and COVID booster. “COVID and the flu are two different illnesses, so it’s important to get both vaccines.” To learn more, visit: heartandstroke.ca/flu

Stay active in winter!

Find 11 ideas that will keep you moving and feeling your best. Visit: heartandstroke.ca/winter

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From our CEO: Thank you for all that you do to beat heart disease and stroke Thank you for joining us in our promise to make every beat count!

“ Your incredible loyalty and support fuels the breakthroughs that help people in every community across Canada.”

Doug Roth CEO, Heart & Stroke

Heading into 2023, I’m excited for the recipients of the Heart-Brain Connection IMPACT Award – the result of our innovative partnership with Brain Canada, the national convenor of the brain research community, to drive discovery and exploration of the heart-brain connection.

conditions worldwide. In February it will be Heart Month. In 2018, thanks to supporters like YOU, we shone a spotlight on women’s heart and brain health. Despite making great progress, urgent gaps in research, diagnosis and care continue to put women’s hearts and brains at risk.

As you’ll read in our cover story, Dr. Peter Liu and Dr. Douglas Lee and their teams of Canadian specialists are tackling the knowledge gap that happens when heart and brain conditions are studied in isolation.

This year, with heart conditions and stroke the leading cause of premature death in women, our campaign will focus on healthcare inequities and social differences that affect women’s health.

This unique approach – having experts from different disciplines studying questions often researched in silos, engaging patients and communities – points to a brighter future for people in Canada and those with our

When we beat as one, we can level the playing field so that all Canadian women have a chance to survive and recover.

Create a healthier future with your legacy Including a gift in your Will to Heart & Stroke – whether large or small — can have a tremendous impact on the lives of people just like you.

Get inspired about what your legacy can do. Visit heartandstroke.ca/legacy or call Mary Goodfellow at 1-800-205-4438 to learn more.

Dr. John McNeill chose to support Heart & Stroke with a legacy gift through his estate.

A gift of securities is one of the most cost-effective ways to support the cause that’s close to your heart.

Learn more at: heartandstroke.ca/securities

3 easy, secure ways to make your gift today: Mail in your enclosed reply card

Donate online at heartandstroke.ca/impact

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