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Icardio.ca is intended to be a support tool for patients, an extension of medical consultation. Written in simple and accessible language, it helps to better understand the structure and functioning of the heart. This is where the basis for understanding cardiovascular diseases, diagnostic approaches, and therapy challenges lies.
It is also an educational reference for students in the health field and for anyone wanting to learn more about cardiology.
Similarly, Icardio.ca proves to be a very useful reference tool for doctors concerned with their patients’ understanding.
This is a cardiology information and popularization website. It does not replace the doctor, but it does allow for a better understanding of how the heart works, possible heart diseases, the tests required for diagnosis, and the treatments used to treat them.
Our contributors are highly qualified experts passionate about their profession. They are constantly keeping abreast of cutting-edge medical advances and dedicating their careers to providing personalized care of the highest quality.
These healthcare professionals come from various sectors of cardiology, whether they are specialist doctors practicing general or highly specialized cardiology such as environmental, interventional, structural, pediatric cardiology, or cardiac surgery, and the list goes on.
Their expertise covers a full range of heart conditions, from prevention to advanced treatments, including diagnostic imaging and clinical research. Our contributors all share the importance of patients understanding the heart disease they are suffering from, first for themselves and then for their loved ones, the challenges involved, the diligence required for their treatment, and a better outcome, eventually.
They are all driven by the desire to share their knowledge in the simplest way possible for the benefit of people affected directly or indirectly by cardiovascular health problems.
At Icardio.ca, we have realized that searching the web for information can be complex and time-consuming, often leading to more confusion than answers.
To simplify this laborious experience, we strive to select and seek the opinions of seasoned experts working in related or highly specialized fields.
Icardio.ca acknowledges that patients may sometimes feel overwhelmed after consulting a healthcare professional for a cardiovascular problem. Time is often limited, questions are numerous, and understanding one’s heart condition can seem complex. It is because of these factors and many others, which would be too numerous to list, that patients may not retain the details of the explanations provided to them in a medical office.
The essence of our commitment is directed towards these vulnerable individuals. We aim to accompany them with empathy by filling their gaps with general information, sufficiently deepened so that they do not have to endlessly navigate the web and thereby limit their anxieties.
Our popularized information is an extension of medical consultation, available in an environment that is theirs and that of their loved ones.
We also aim to be a valuable and appreciated resource for doctors, assisting them in explaining to their patients, helping them to have a clear and precise understanding of their heart problem and its treatment.
Icardio.ca was designed by and for patients. The addition of patient experience aims to add information based on the daily lives of people with one or more cardiovascular problems.
A sedentary lifestyle related to desk work is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Risk factors do not simply add together — they interact and amplify one another, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Simple changes, repeated over time, can lead to lasting improvements in health.
Ivabradine (Lancora™) is a medication used in certain forms of heart failure to slow the heart rate. Learn how it works, its benefits, possible side effects including phosphenes, and the precautions associated with this treatment.
Entresto™ (sacubitril/valsartan) is a medication used to treat certain forms of heart failure. Learn how it works, its benefits, possible side effects, and the precautions associated with this modern heart failure treatment.
Diuretics are a large family of medications that act on the kidneys. They are divided into several categories, three of which are discussed here.
Although they share a common effect — helping eliminate excess fluid that may accumulate in areas such as the legs or lungs (edema) — each type has distinct characteristics. Some agents also help lower bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood pressure or improve heart function in people with heart failure.
Akira Endo is the Japanese biochemist behind the discovery of statins, a class of medications that transformed the prevention of cardiovascular disease. This article retraces the story of his research, the development of the first statins, and their major impact on reducing heart attacks and cardiovascular mortality.
MitraClip is a non-surgical procedure used to treat mitral regurgitation. Performed by catheter, it reduces valve leakage without open-heart surgery. It is mainly intended for patients at high surgical risk.
Dr. Russell Ross profoundly transformed the understanding of atherosclerosis by demonstrating that atherosclerotic plaque is a dynamic inflammatory disease rather than a simple passive cholesterolCholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of the human body, but it can also have harmful effects if present in excess. >> deposit. This article retraces his major discoveries and explains how they changed the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Coronary arteryThe two coronary arteries, the right and the left, form the blood network that supplies the heart with oxygen and nutrients. They are located directly on the surface of the heart and branch into smaller vessels that disease can progress silently and trigger a sudden event, even after reassuring test results. Understanding the role of atherosclerotic plaque and the importance of prevention helps reduce risk.
Stress cardiac MRI is a precise imaging test that evaluates how the heart functions when stimulated to simulate physical effort. It helps detect signs of reduced bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood supply to the heart muscle. Safe and carefully supervised, it complements the assessment of coronary arteryThe two coronary arteries, the right and the left, form the blood network that supplies the heart with oxygen and nutrients. They are located directly on the surface of the heart and branch into smaller vessels that disease.
A resting cardiac MRI is a precise imaging test used to evaluate the structure and function of the heart without using radiation. It is well tolerated and helps diagnose several heart conditions. The results are sent to the physician who ordered the test for follow-up discussion.
For a long time, the cause of myocardial infarction remained poorly understood. Initially attributed to a gradual blockage of the arteries, it is now recognized as a frequently sudden event related to the formation of a bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood clot. This discovery, confirmed in the 1970s, transformed cardiology and led to the development of effective treatments.
Cannabis, which is becoming increasingly accessible, can have real effects on the heart and circulation. It may raise heart rate, increase bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood pressure, and elevate the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly in individuals who are already at risk. Even though it is authorized, it is not without harm.
This site is intended to provide information and make cardiology comprehensible for all patients; it is not a substitute for a doctor. It does, however, enable a better understanding of how the heart works, the many heart diseases that exist, the tests required to reach a diagnosis, and the drugs and other methods used to treat them.
