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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.
First-degree AV block is not considered a “true blockage,” but rather a slowing of electrical conduction between the atriaThe atria are the two upper chambers of the heart. They act as reservoirs for blood that will fill the ventricles. and the ventricles. It differs from second- or third-degree AV block, where some — or even all — impulses fail to pass through the AV node.
Atrioventricular blocks (AV blocks) are delays or interruptions in the electrical signal traveling between the atriaThe atria are the two upper chambers of the heart. They act as reservoirs for blood that will fill the ventricles. and the ventricles. This pathway, controlled by the AV node — the heart’s “electrical gatekeeper” — can be slowed to varying degrees.
Three degrees of AV block are recognized, ranging from a simple delay to a complete interruption of the signal.
The heart never takes a vacation. Even during the summer, cardiovascular diseases remain a concern. Chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, heart failure, high 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 forgetting to take prescribed medications should never be ignored. Learn the essential precautions to take before and during your vacation, the warning signs that require prompt medical attention, and the healthy habits that can help you travel safely while living with cardiovascular disease.
A chronic total occlusion (CTO) is a 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 that has been completely blocked for several months. Learn about its symptoms, diagnostic tests, risks, and the treatment options available to reopen the artery and improve quality of life.
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart, often caused by a viral infection. It typically causes chest pain and usually resolves without long-term consequences. Fluid may sometimes accumulate around the heart and requires monitoring, but treatment is generally straightforward and recovery is usually complete.
This sage parsnip ravioli is served with a beet and turnip carpaccio enhanced by an orange vinaigrette. A colorful and elegant recipe created by Chef Philippe Laloux.
Most of the treatments used today are the result of clinical research. By participating in a clinical study, patients help advance medical knowledge and improve the care that will be available to future generations.
Palpitations"Palpitation" is a symptom related to an abnormality in heartbeats. There are several types of arrhythmias. This term is like a surname that encompasses several first names., dizziness, atrial fibrillation, Apple Watch, KardiaMobile, Cardiomemo, or extended Holter monitoring: several technologies are now available to monitor the heart’s electrical activity over extended periods. Learn how these different external cardiac monitoring systems work, their advantages, limitations, and their role in diagnosing heart rhythm disorders.
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.
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.
