Happy 5th Birthday

Memorandum of Understanding formally establishing the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta signed five years ago on January 27, 2004

Happy 5th Birthday to the Libin!

While milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries generally go unnoticed in the lives of dedicated scientists and clinicians, sometimes even those busy lives warrant a reprieve for reflection. On whose shoulders did we begin our journey? Who are those that contributed but left before being noticed? What have we achieved in our time? What have we helped others achieve? What might we do better? What is there for us, and for us to give, in the times to come?

Hypothermic Therapy in the Mona Libin CICU

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta’s Dr. Todd Anderson, Chief of Cardiology, was recently interviewed by CTV Calgary’s Karen Owen. In the interview, Dr. Anderson describes how hypothermic therapy used after a patient has had a massive heart attack can help prevent brain damage. Click the picture or link below to go to CTV’s page for this story and then hit the play button to watch:

Dr. Todd Anderson

CTV story and video – Click Here.

The CoolGuard unit highlighted in this news segment was the first of several items purchased with funds raised in the memory of Mona Libin. Mona, along with husband Alvin, joined with the University of Calgary and the Calgary Health Region (now Alberta Health Services) in 2004 to create the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.

Preeminent Researcher’s Calgary Visit

A busy day for Dr. Valentin Fuster in Calgary …

As many will know, world renowned cardiovascular researcher, Dr. Valentin Fuster, was in Calgary January 15th to receive the Libin/AHFMR Prize for Excellence in Cardiovascular Researcher. What many may not know was just how busy a day it was for Dr. Fuster!

Audience at Dr. Fuster's Science Lecture

The morning started with a scientific lecture at UCalgary Health Sciences Centre Theatre Three. This was a very well attended session with approximately one-hundred researchers, clinicians, trainees and staff present. By the time the lecture started

Expertise in Cardiac EP Extends to Institute’s Engineering Elements

Visualizations produced by CARP

While Southern Alberta has been widely recognized as a locus of international leadership in Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP), what is less known is the true breadth of expertise found at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta in this area. Inside the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) building at the University of Calgary, are located two of the institute’s Biomedical Engineering principal investigators who have been working a different aspect of Cardiac EP. This is where we find Dr. Anders Nygren and Dr. Edward Vigmond, who with their teams, are exploring the intra and inter cellular wiring within the heart and the broader cardiovascular system.

To read the rest of this story, have a gander at the new edition of Libin Life.

Women Heart Attack Warning!

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta’s Dr. Sarah Weeks was recently interviewed by CTV television’s Health Reporter Karen Owen. Click the picture or link below to go to CTV’s page for this story and then hit the play button to watch (video requires you to watch an advertisement first – so be patient):

Cardiologist Dr. Sarah Weeks

CTV story and video – Click Here.

For information on the risk of heart disease and stroke for women, visit The Heart Truth.

Another related and interesting article: Could it be a Heart Attack? A Woman’s Problem Too

Tinman playing golf!

Earlier related:  Playing Golf with a VAD – First in Alberta, Maybe the World!

PUBLIC SESSION – On-line & Interactive – Improving your Heart Health for Life

Dr. Ellen Burgess will be delivering an on-line session on Improving your Heart Health for all, but particularly patients of Heart Failure. As opposed to other on-line sessions that you may have participated in, this session will be unique in that it will also be interactive!

Following are the particulars:

What: Improving your Heart Health for Life

Who: Everyone, particularly patients

When: Monday January 26th from 7:00 to 8:30pm

Where: On-line (IE from your couch)

How: Register at www.heartscript.com (you’ll be sent a link to use on the day of the session)

Cost: zip! zero! nada!

After the session, we’d love for participants to come visit the blog and leave comments about the technology that will have been employed. It is something new for many, and thus we want to hear opinions.

Dr. Ellen Burgess is Professor, Division of Renal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, UCalgary Faculty of Medicine and Member, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.