Welcome to the Icardio.ca website, a source of information and popularization dedicated to cardiology.
Please note that this site is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical consultation with a healthcare professional.
Icardio.ca is intended to be a support tool for the patient, an extension of the medical consultation. Written in simple, easy-to-understand language, it provides a better comprehension of the structure and functioning of the heart. This is the basis for understanding cardiovascular disease, the diagnostic approach, and the challenges of therapies.
It is also an educational reference for students in the health field and is suitable as well for anyone who wants to know more about cardiology.
Similarly, Icardio.ca is proving to be a very useful reference tool for doctors concerned about their patients’ understanding.
At Icardio.ca, we know that patients can sometimes feel concerned when they see a health professional. Time is often limited, questions are numerous, and understanding the state of one’s heart condition can be complex.
We aim to fill these gaps by providing in-depth general information, which can also be used as a complement to a medical consultation.
Likewise, we aim to be a valuable and appreciated resource for doctors, supporting them in the explanations they provide to their patients, and helping them to gain a clear and precise understanding of their heart problem and its treatment.
Cardiology is a medical specialty that evolves constantly. Technological advances, cutting-edge diagnostic methods, and innovative treatments are improving the quality of life of patients with heart conditions and, in some cases, prolonging their lives.
New treatment options, including the use of hemodynamic catheters, offer a variety of solutions to traditional cardiac surgery in special cases.
Icardio.ca is committed to reporting on the latest advances in cardiology and helping to better understand treatment options for optimal heart health.
The way care is provided has changed significantly over the past few decades. We have moved from paternalism, where the doctor was the only one with the absolute science, to a patient-centered approach to care.
That concept was not ideal as it left the patient with several concerns. The patient’s care should have been more personalized.
Adding the patient-experience approach to the team of caregivers enables the patient to fully understand what is happening. He can then interact with the medical team and actively participate in his treatment plan.
All too often, the reality of the patient’s life is overlooked. Who can best answer questions about his day-to-day way of life? Or, who can fully imagine the confusion and anxiety that a person went through before arriving at the discomfort he feels today?
The patient-partner approach is this new concept of care in which the patient is as much a part of the team as any other healthcare provider, including a peer who previously benefitted from this innovative patient-partner initiative.
This recipe combines the crispness of fennel and the freshness of orange with the richness of lightly fried goat cheese. Perfect as a refined appetizer or a light meal, it features simple ingredients that are naturally rich in antioxidants and good for the heart.
The discovery of cardiac catheterization, born from an unusual and daring event, represents a major milestone in cardiology. This breakthrough transformed the way heart diseases are diagnosed and understood.
Calcium channel blockers are a widely used class of medications in cardiology.
They help treat 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, certain heart rhythm disorders, and chest pain caused by angina.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is often discovered by chance, without any symptoms. Yet, if it tears or ruptures, the consequences can be serious—even fatal.
The key is to monitor the aneurysm’s evolution regularly in order to determine the right time to intervene.
Anticoagulants are primarily used in individuals who have already developed a clot in major 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 vessels (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism) or who suffer from certain arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Their primary goal is to reduce the risk of stroke caused by the formation and detachment of a clot in the left atrium.
Living with diabetes requires discipline and perseverance but also trust and collaboration with one’s healthcare team. This story highlights the strength of partnership between the patient and healthcare professionals.
Cardiac defibrillation — from Claude Beck’s manual heart massage in 1947 to today’s portable defibrillators — represents one of the greatest breakthroughs in emergency medicine.
In less than half a century, these discoveries have turned a once-fatal arrhythmia into a condition that can often be reversed, saving thousands of lives every year.
Learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can save a life. Every action matters — recognize the emergency, call 911, start compressions, and use a defibrillator. Anyone can be a hero by acting without hesitation.
After a catheter-based procedure (PCI, stent, TAVI, PFO closure…), it is normal to have questions and sometimes worry. Here you will find simple, practical guidance to take care of yourself at home, follow your medications, and gradually return to your activities with confidence.
TAVI represents a major advancement in cardiology. It offers a second life to many patients whose hearts were exhausted by a rigid and stenosed valve. Less effort for the heart, lower risks for the patient, and often… a pleasant surprise in the following days: breathing returns.
History of John Gibbon, pioneer of extracorporeal circulation and inventor of the heart-lung machine, a decisive breakthrough in modern cardiac surgery.
Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) affects about 1% of the population. It is not strictly considered an arrhythmia, but rather a condition where the heart beats faster than expected, even at rest, and accelerates excessively with minimal effort.
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.
Where the masculine is used herein, it shall be all-gender inclusive.
