Your impact on cardiology

February is heart month, and we would like to express our gratitude to our community of donors for supporting cardiology at North York General Hospital (NYGH).

Each year NYGH provides cardiac care throughout the hospital to thousands of patients in our community. Some patients come to the Charlotte & Lewis Steinberg Emergency experiencing a heart attack, while others are being treated in the Critical Care Unit (CrCU) and develop heart issues, and still others are referred for outpatient care to the Graham & Audrey Rosenberg Family Cardiac Care Clinic. Regardless of where in the hospital cardiac patients are receiving care, our clinical teams are there for them.

Here are more achievements in cardiology from this past year made possible by our generous donor community:

Your impact on cardiology

February is heart month, and we would like to express our gratitude to our community of donors for supporting cardiology at North York General Hospital (NYGH).

Here are more achievements in cardiology from this past year made possible by our generous donor community:

By the numbers

From January to December 2023, the number of patient visits to the cardiology clinics and programs remained relatively stable, typically with a fluctuation of 10% or less in larger programs. The larger percentage increases over 2022 occurred in the following programs:

4,929 clinics/programs visits

2,445 pacemaker clinic visits

146 cardio oncology program visits

25 arrythmia clinic visits

“Getting the call that you have cancer is devastating, but then learning there’s another issue with your heart leads to even more fear and anxiety. I was initially worried that the cardiac side effects of my chemotherapy would prevent me from continuing to receive cancer treatment. But my cardiologist Dr. Randi Rose’s kindness and compassion really makes her exceptional. She has been like a friend to me, and she is truly a reminder of how far kindness can go. With the complex, difficult effects of treatment on my physical and emotional health, empathy makes a world of difference. Dr. Rose has made my challenging journey better.”

Janice Beard
Grateful Patient

Life-Saving Cardiology Equipment

Defibrillators

Defibrillators are life-saving devices. When a patient experiences a cardiac arrest and their heart stops suddenly or when they have a dangerous arrythmia (atypical heart rhythm) where they lose a pulse, a clinician reaches for a defibrillator. This device sends an electrical signal to shock the heart, which helps it to restart itself and begin beating at a normal rhythm. New X-Series defibrillators include additional functionality to check vital signs such as blood pressure and to enable a clinician to pace the heart, stimulating it to pump blood when the pulse is too low. A team in the CrCU uses the machines for patients on their unit who are often at higher risk of cardiac arrest. They also accompany patients being transported to other areas or offsite for tests. When a cardiac event occurs, the team requires this vital equipment immediately.

Ultrasound machine with probes

These bedside ultrasound machines are important in enabling cardiologists to diagnose an emergent situation in terms of identifying critical valve or structural changes, or too much fluid buildup around the heart, which can compress it and cause cardiac arrest. These machines also facilitate the safe insertion of a central line catheter (a thin flexible tube with two or three ends), which enables patients to receive multiple medications at once, to raise blood pressure for instance when it is too low. The ultrasounds show the cardiologist exactly where the catheter is during the procedure. This past year the CrCU received a second new Sonsite Fujifilm ultrasound machine with probes, which has allowed cardiologists to simultaneously address more than one situation that requires intervention.

“Our goal is always the same: to enable our patients to live longer and enjoy high quality lives. But we can only achieve this goal with donors. Philanthropy has helped ensure our clinicians have access to new advanced cardiac equipment they need to provide exceptional care to our patients. My heartfelt thanks to all who have helped so many of our cardiac patients and families. You are making a tremendous difference.”

Dr. Kareem Morant
Director, Graham & Audrey Rosenberg Family Cardiac Care Clinic

Program advancement

We are one of the few community hospitals that has developed a protocol to safely conduct MRIs (for different areas of the body) with patients who have a cardiac device implanted such as a pacemaker. In 2025, the program will start doing advanced cardiac imaging at NYGH for patients who need an MRI of their heart. Right now, patients need to go to another hospital to have this procedure done. We have hired a cardiologist who will be performing advanced cardiac imaging at our hospital, enabling our patients to receive care closer to home.

Would you like to support patients and their families at North York General? Donate today to help fund our most urgent needs including upgraded equipment, enhanced care spaces and innovation across NYGH:

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