Contribution Made to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute at 22nd Annual Telethon
MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 8, 2013 /CNW/ - AstraZeneca Canada is pleased to announce a $225,000 donation to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). Presented by AstraZeneca Canada President, Elaine Campbell, during the 22nd annual UOHI Telethon on March 3, 2012, the donation will support the institute's world leading medical research program and cardiovascular patient education initiatives.
In addition, to encourage the Ottawa community to call in with a pledge, AstraZeneca sponsored the Three-Minute Challenge, matching all incoming phone pledges over a three-minute period, up to $5,000. AstraZeneca has participated in the Three-Minute Challenge in each of the last 15 years.
"Across this country, thousands of Canadians are living with heart disease - the second leading cause of death," explains Elaine Campbell. "This is why we remain committed to supporting cardiovascular research through centers of excellence such as the Ottawa Heart Institute - ultimately advancing our understanding of cardiovascular disease and prevention, with a collective goal to reduce prevalence of heart disease, and its impact on patients and their families."
Canada's largest and foremost cardiovascular health centre, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute is dedicated to understanding, treating, and preventing heart disease. Dr. Michel Le May, a cardiologist at the Ottawa Heart Institute, developed a STEMI program that has established protocols to ensure that heart attack patients in the Ottawa region receive the best care as quickly as possible. Through in-depth training of paramedics, patients who receive a STEMI diagnosis in the ambulance are able to be transported directly to the Heart Institute for treatment. As a result of the STEMI program, STEMI deaths in the Ottawa region have been reduced by 50 per cent.1 The program has been carried out in communities across Canada.
Although significant treatment advances have been made in recent years, heart disease remains Canada's second leading cause of death and a significant burden on our healthcare system.2 Nearly five per cent of Canadians over the age of 12 report living with heart disease.3 Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) events (heart attacks or chest pain), in particular, result in 100,000 hospitalizations annually — that's one Canadian admitted to hospital every five minutes.4 It is estimated that ACS events alone add $3.4 billion each year in direct healthcare expenditures and economic losses to Canada's already strained health-care system.5
About AstraZeneca Canada
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AstraZeneca's Canadian headquarters are located in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.astrazeneca.ca.
About the University of Ottawa Heart Institute
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) is Canada's largest and foremost cardiovascular health centre dedicated to understanding, treating and preventing heart disease. UOHI delivers high-tech care with a personal touch, shapes the way cardiovascular medicine is practiced and revolutionizes cardiac treatment and understanding. It builds knowledge through research and translates discoveries into advanced care. UOHI serves the local, national and international community, and is pioneering a new era in heart health. For more information visit: www.ottawaheart.ca
REFERENCES:
_______________________________________________
1 University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Website. Heart Attack: http://www.ottawaheart.ca/heart_disease/heart-attack.htm
2 Statistics Canada. Morality, Summary List of Causes 2008. Released October 18, 2011
3 Public Health Agency of Canada. Tracking Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada. Released June 2009
4 Charles River Associates' Life Sciences Practice. The burden of acute coronary syndrome: The second leading cause of death in Canada. Study commissioned by AstraZeneca.
5 Charles River Associates' Life Sciences Practice. The burden of acute coronary syndrome: The second leading cause of death in Canada. Study commissioned by AstraZeneca.
SOURCE: AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
Adam Sanders
Edelman
Tel: 416-850-0241
[email protected]
Share this article