heart

Prince Rupert man recovering at St. Paul's after daughter saves life

Martina Perry Photo

In a crisis some people are able to do things they didn't think were possible.

Prince Rupert's Gianna Evans is living proof of that. Earlier this year, the 12-year-old performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her father before emergency responders arrived, despite not knowing how.

“I watched a movie a couple of days before, and one thing the main character kept saying was 'nothing's impossible'. That's what I was thinking,” Gianna said.

In January Gianna was laying in bed one night when she heard Bill, her dad, arrive home from work.

Exercise is the best medicine, B.C. doctors say

Don’t be surprised if instead of a prescription for pills, your doctor fills one out for exercise. Especially if you’re inactive.

Doctors across B.C. are now taking delivery of new prescription pads to use for their less-active patients as part of a new health promotion program sponsored by Doctors of B.C. (formerly the B.C. Medical Association). The program is called Exercise is Medicine.

PAMELA FAYERMAN Reports

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St. Paul’s experts target sweet spot, say too much sugar souring our health

Candy Aisle owner Shelley McCann talks about sugar and sweets at her shop in Vancouver on Monday. Photograph by Wayne Leidenfrost/PNG

You're sitting on the couch after dinner, when the chocolate cookies in the cupboard start calling out your name.

What to do?

Don't keep the chocolate cookies in your cupboard.

Ian Austin and Frank Luba Report

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Heart pumps work as 'bridge to transplant'

To support a failing heart, there are two general types of ventricular assist devices, long-term and short-term. Two cardiac surgeons - along with four other cardiologists - at St. Paul's Hospital perform all implantations of long-term devices in the province, under the B.C. Acute Heart Failure Program.

TAVR-Associated Aortic Root Rupture Hazardous but Predictable

Aortic root rupture that occurs during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using balloon-expandable prostheses carries a heightened risk of in-hospital adverse events but can be predicted by anatomic and procedural factors. The findings, from a small multicenter study, were published online June 7, 2013, ahead of print in Circulation.

'They gave me a second chance at life'

Four-year-old Brayden Ma likes to tell people about his mom’s new heart. “He’s so excited,” said Lindsay Schneider. “He’d say, ‘My mom’s heart was sick. But now she has a new heart. See the scar?’ ” Schneider, 28, received her new heart last October – one of 306 organ transplants performed in BC in 2012, a new record for B.C. Transplant.

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