Mon - Fri 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
DEDICATED TO THE
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
OF HEART DISEASE
WHO WE ARE
Pulse Cardiac Centre is a unique multidisciplinary medical clinic focused on patients with heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Our team includes a Cardiologist, Clinical Exercise Physiologists, a Registered Dietitian, Cardiology Technologists, and Patient Care Coordinators.
WHY WE DO IT
We are passionate about helping people achieve their optimal health. We thrive on seeing our patients regain their quality of life. And once in a while we are lucky enough to save a life.
WHAT WE DO
We treat each patient’s cardiovascular condition with the best evidence-based medical therapy. But we don’t stop there... Patients also receive written prescriptions for lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and smoking cessation.
COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE
IN PATIENT CARE
COMPREHENSIVE AND
COMPASSIONATE CARE
The highest standards of professionalism
CARDIOLOGY CONSULTATION
WHAT IS A CARDIOLOGIST?
A cardiologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to the heart and blood vessels. This includes conditions such as heart attacks, heart failure, heart rhythm problems, and high blood pressure. Cardiologists undergo extensive training to become experts in identifying and managing these conditions, and they use a variety of tools and techniques, such as echocardiography and cardiac catheterization, to help diagnose and treat their patients. Ultimately, their goal is to help patients maintain a healthy heart and prevent serious heart-related complications.
WHAT DO CARDIOLOGISTS AT PULSE CARDIAC CENTRE DO?
At Pulse Cardiac Centre, we focus on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention:
A cardiologist can be thought of as a detective who investigates and solves mysteries related to the heart and blood vessels. Just like a detective, a cardiologist carefully examines and analyzes all available information, including a patient's medical history, symptoms, and test results, to piece together a complete picture of what is going on with the patient's heart.
The cardiologist may order various tests, such as blood work, electrocardiograms (ECGs), and imaging tests like echocardiograms or angiograms, to gather clues and confirm their suspicions. They may also ask patients questions about their lifestyle and habits to identify risk factors for heart disease and make recommendations for lifestyle changes to prevent further problems.
Based on all of this information, the cardiologist works to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan tailored to the patient's specific needs. This could include medications, lifestyle changes, or procedures like angioplasty or stent placement. The cardiologist will also monitor the patient's progress over time, making adjustments as necessary to ensure their heart health is optimized.
Symptoms suggestive of a heart problem include:
- Chest discomfort
- Breathing trouble
- Ankle edema (swelling)
- Palpitations
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting
AVAILABLE AT PULSE CARDIAC CENTRE
CARDIAC DIAGNOSTICS
A HOLTER MONITOR is a portable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor that records the electrical activity of the heart continuously for 24-hours, 48-hours, 7-days, or 14-days. Electrical impulses coordinate contractions of the different parts of the heart to keep the blood flowing. The Holter monitor records these impulses to determine how fast the heart is beating, the rhythm of the heart beats, and the strength and timing of the electrical impulses.
Your healthcare provider may request a Holter monitor if you have symptoms, such as palpitations, lightheadedness, fainting, low blood pressure, ongoing fatigue (tiredness), or episodes of shortness of breath. Occasionally, we may request a Holter monitor to rule out heart rhythm abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation (AFib).
We use the newest technologies at Pulse Cardiac Centre. Gone are the days of the Holter box or going to work without showering. For 24-hour Holter studies we use the device pictured to the right (top) with only 3 sticky electrodes and 2 wires.
For all other studies (48-hours, 7-days, or 14-days) we use a state-of-the-art PATCH HOLTER device that records every heart beat for 48-hours, 7-days, or 14-days. You can shower, exercise, and even run marathons while wearing the Patch Holter. When your study is complete, you don't even need to return it. Pop the device in the pre-paid Xpresspost envelop we give you and drop it in a Canada Post mailbox.
24-HOUR HOLTER
PATCH HOLTER
CARDIAC REHAB
WHO IS IT FOR?
KNOWN HEART DISEASE:
Atherosclerosis
Coronary artery disease
Angina
Heart attack
Heart failure / Cardiomyopathy
Angioplasty / Coronary Stents
Heart surgery
Arrhythmia (eg. atrial fibrillation)
Heart transplant
AT RISK OF HEART DISEASE:
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Obesity
Peripheral vascular disease
Cerebrovascular disease
Stroke·
Family history of premature heart disease
WHAT IS PULSE FIT Rx CARDIAC REHAB?
We have designed a cutting-edge cardiac rehabilitation program that is conducted in our boutique on-site gym. Our program is overseen by an experienced cardiologist and customized to meet your specific health requirements. We empower you to take charge of your cardiovascular health by creating an individualized program that includes exercise, diet, cardiovascular health education, and aggressive risk factor optimization. As your fitness improves, we modify your exercise plan to ensure maximum effectiveness. Our cardiologist follows you closely and is there with you every step of the way to optimize your medical therapy. Plus, you'll have a breathtaking view of the mountains to enhance your experience!
Designed to empower you to take charge of your cardiovascular health
Individualized program: Exercise, Diet, & Risk Factor Optimization
THE PULSE TEAM
We are committed to providing excellent clinical care through a collaborative multidisciplinary approach.
MISSION AND VALUES
1 / Best Medicine
Our mission is to prevent, treat and manage cardiovascular disease using up-to-date, evidence-based medical practice.
2 / Commitment to Patient Care
We are committed to serving our patients by delivering accessible, comprehensive and compassionate care that is of the highest quality.
3 / Ethical Care
We uphold the highest standard of ethics and moral principles.
4 / Integrity and Respect
We act with integrity and respect the well-being and dignity of each patient.
5 / Collaboration and Innovation
We value interdisciplinary collaboration and work together to innovate to improve the care we provide.
6 / Exceed Expectations
We endeavour to treat patients efficiently and effectively. We strive to exceed our patient’s expectations by improving access and the quality of our services.
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MedicationsIf you can't find your medication below, click here then enter the name of the medication into the "Drug Search" search box. Antiplatelet Medications: Most people who have experienced a heart event are prescribed an antiplatelet medication. Let's break down what that means. Platelets are tiny particles in your blood. Imagine getting a cut on your finger; these platelets race over to the injured area, bind together, and create a clot to halt the bleeding. This is great when you're dealing with a cut on your finger, but not so much when this happens inside your arteries. The clot, essentially a lump of these sticky platelets, can block the blood flow in your arteries, leading to a heart attack or even a stroke. This is where antiplatelet drugs come in. Their job is to make your platelets less likely to clump together and form these dangerous clots. This helps to keep your arteries and any stents (tiny tubes used to keep arteries open) clear and free from blockages. Acetylsalicylic Acid / ASA (Aspirin®) Clopidogrel (Plavix®) Ticagrelor (Brilinta®) Anticoagulants (Blood Thinners): Anticoagulant medications, sometimes called "blood thinners," don't actually thin your blood, but they do prevent your blood from forming clots too quickly or too easily. When you get a cut, your body forms a clot to stop the bleeding. That's your body's way of preventing you from losing too much blood. This clotting is a normal and necessary process. However, sometimes this clotting process can cause problems inside your body, like in your blood vessels. When blood clots form inside your blood vessels, they can block blood flow. This can lead to serious health issues like strokes and heart attacks. That's why doctors sometimes prescribe medications called anticoagulants. They slow down the body's clotting process and reduce the chance of clots forming in your blood vessels. These drugs are also called “blood thinners.” They don’t actually thin your blood. But they can help prevent clots from forming. Apixaban (Eliquis®) Rivaroxaban (Xarelto®) Edoxaban (Lixiana®) Dabigatran (Pradaxa®) Warfarin (Coumadin®) ACE-Inhibitors: ACE-inhibitors are a type of medicine often prescribed for conditions like high blood pressure, heart failure, or after a heart attack or heart surgery. The term "ACE" stands for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme. Your body has a system, the renin-angiotensin system, which controls blood pressure. This system makes a substance called angiotensin, which can cause blood vessels to tighten or narrow down. This tightening can increase your blood pressure, making your heart work harder than it should. ACE-inhibitors block the creation of angiotensin. So, the blood vessels don't tighten up as much and your blood pressure stays in a healthier range. This is a bit like turning down the volume on a stereo. The music (or in this case, the angiotensin) is still playing, but it's not as loud or powerful, so it doesn't have as much of an impact. With the blood vessels more relaxed and the blood pressure lower, your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your body. These medications also reduce the risk of heart attacks, help the heart to heal after a heart attack or heart surgery, and protect the kidneys in people with diabetes. Captopril (Capoten) Cilazapril (Inhibace®) Enalapril (Vasotec®) Fosinopril (Monopril®) Lisinopril (Prinivil®, Zestril®) Perindopril (Coversyl®) Quinapril (Accupril®) Ramipril (Altace®) Trandolapril (Mavik®) Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs): ARBs are similar to ACE-Inhibitors. They are also prescribed for conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure. Your body has a system, the renin-angiotensin system, which controls blood pressure. This system makes a substance called angiotensin II, which causes blood vessels to tighten or narrow down. This tightening can increase your blood pressure, making your heart work harder than it should. ARB medications work by blocking the effect of angiotensin II on the blood vessels. As a result, your blood vessels stay relaxed, and your blood pressure stays lower. This makes it easier for blood to flow, reducing the strain on your heart. These medications also reduce the risk of heart attacks, help the heart to heal after a heart attack or heart surgery, and protect the kidneys in people with diabetes. Azilsartan Candesartan (Atacand®) Eprosartan (Teveten®) Irbesartan (Avapro®) Losartan (Cozaar®) Olmesartan (Olmetec®) Telmisartan (Micardis®) Valsartan (Diovan®) Beta-Blockers: If you’re running away from Zombies, adrenaline (the "fight or flight" hormone), attaches to tiny receptors in your heart and blood vessels, and makes your heart beat faster and harder. If you're exercising or feeling stressed or scared, your heart beats faster. If you're resting, it beats slower. Beta-blockers work by reducing the impact of the signals that make your heart beat faster and harder. Beta-blockers attach to the receptors and block them, which prevents chemicals like adrenaline from making your heart beat too fast or too hard. This means your heart doesn't have to work as hard, and your blood pressure goes down. Doctors often prescribe beta-blockers to people with high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, heart failure, after a heart attack, or after heart surgery. These medications can help protect the heart and improve its function over time. Acebutolol (Monitan®, Sectral®) Atenolol (Tenormin®) Bisoprolol (Monocor®) Carvedilol (Coreg®) Labetalol (Trandate®) Metoprolol (Betaloc®, Lopresor®, Lopresor-SR®) Nadolol (Corgard®) Pindolol (Visken®) Propranolol (Inderal®) Timolol (Blocadren®) Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs): In your body, there are numerous channels that allow different substances to enter and exit your cells. One of these is the calcium channel. Calcium is a mineral that's crucial for many body functions, including the way your heart and blood vessels work. When your heart beats, it's because of electrical signals that are generated and spread throughout the heart. Calcium plays a big role in creating these signals. When more calcium enters the heart cells, your heart beats with more force and your blood vessels can tighten up. Calcium Channel Blockers are medications that 'block' or reduce the amount of calcium that can enter the heart's cells and the walls of the blood vessels. This makes your heart beat less forcefully and helps your blood vessels relax and widen. Two Calcium Channel Blockers, Diltiazem and Verapamil, also slow the pulse rate, but the others do not affect the pulse rate. Amlodipine (Norvasc®) Diltiazem (Cardiazem®, Tiazac®, Tiazac® XC ) Felodipine (Plendil®) Nifedipine XL (Adalat XL®) Verapamil (Isoptin®, Isoptin® SR, Verelan®) Aldosterone Antagonists: Aldosterone antagonists are diuretics or “water pills.” Aldosterone is a hormone produced by your body that helps control the balance of salt and water. This balance is crucial because it directly affects your blood pressure. If your body produces too much aldosterone your body will hold onto too much salt and water, which can raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure can put extra strain on your heart and can lead to heart disease. Aldosterone antagonists are a type of medication that helps block the effects of aldosterone. By blocking aldosterone, these drugs help your body get rid of excess salt and water through urine. This in turn helps lower your blood pressure and takes some of the strain off your heart. Eplerenone (Inspra) Spironolactone (Aldactone) Statins and Other Cholesterol-Lowering Medications: Our bodies naturally produce a substance called cholesterol. There are two types: 'bad' cholesterol, known as LDL, and 'good' cholesterol, known as HDL. LDL cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries, the big tubes that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. This build-up forms a kind of plaque, making the arteries narrower and less flexible - a condition called atherosclerosis. If the plaque gets big enough, it can block the artery and put you at risk of heart attacks or strokes. This is where statins come in. These are drugs that help lower the level of 'bad' cholesterol in your body. They do this by slowing down the production of cholesterol by your liver, the organ that produces most of your body's cholesterol. By keeping 'bad' cholesterol in check, statins help prevent plaque build-up in your arteries. This helps to keep your blood flowing smoothly. Not only that, but statins can also help stabilize the lining of our blood vessels, making them less likely to be damaged, and reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Statins Atorvastatin (Lipitor®) Fluvastatin (Lescol®) Lovastatin (Mevacor®) Pravastatin (Pravachol®) Rosuvastatin (Crestor®) Simvastatin (Zocor®) Cholesterol absorption inhibitors Ezetimibe (Ezetrol®) Fibrates Bezafibrate (Bezalip®) Fenofibrate (Lipidil®) Gemfibrozil (Lopid®) Niacin Resins (bile acid sequestrates) Cholestyramine (Questran®) Colestipol (Colestid®) Antiarrhythmics: You know how a clock keeps time with a steady, regular tick-tock? Your heart is similar. It has a specific rhythm to how it beats - a steady lub-dub, lub-dub - to pump blood around your body. Sometimes, the rhythm of the heart can get off track. This can be like a clock that starts ticking too fast, too slow, or just irregularly. In your heart, these abnormal rhythms are called arrhythmias, and they can make it hard for your heart to pump blood effectively. This is where antiarrhythmic drugs come into play. These medications help get your heart back on its steady rhythm. You could think of them as the conductor of an orchestra, bringing all the different parts back into a coordinated, harmonious pattern. By helping to regulate your heart's rhythm, antiarrhythmic drugs allow it to pump blood more effectively. This ensures that all parts of your body get the oxygen and nutrients they need from your blood, which is crucial for your overall health. Sodium Channel Blockers Your heart is a pretty amazing organ. It works like a pump, sending blood all around your body, and to do this, it needs to beat in a regular and controlled rhythm. Now, this rhythm is controlled by electrical signals in your heart, which flow through 'channels.' One of these channels is for sodium, a type of element. Sometimes, these signals can go a bit haywire and cause your heart to beat irregularly. This is known as an arrhythmia. That's where sodium channel blockers come in. These medications work by blocking or reducing the flow of sodium ions through the sodium channels in your heart. Why sodium? Because it's part of the electrical signals that regulate your heart's rhythm. When sodium channel blockers reduce the flow of sodium, they slow down the electrical signals in your heart. This can help return your heart to a normal rhythm if it's been beating too fast or irregularly. Disopyramide (Rhythmodan) Quinidine Mexiletine Flecainide Propafenone (Rythmol) Potassium Channel Blockers Potassium channel blockers are medications used to help regulate your heart's rhythm. They're called 'channel blockers' because they work on tiny pathways, or 'channels,' in the cells of your heart. These channels are what allow potassium, a type of mineral in your body, to move in and out of your heart cells. Why does that matter? Well, the movement of potassium in and out of these cells plays a big role in how your heart beats. By blocking these channels, these medications can slow down the electrical signals that cause your heart to beat. This helps to restore a regular rhythm. Amiodarone Dronedarone (Multaq) Sotalol
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ProceduresCardiac Catheterization (Angiogram, Angioplasty, Stents) Cardioversion Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) Pacemakers Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICD) Ablation & Electrophysiology (EP) Procedures: Electrophysiology (EP) Study Ablation for SVT Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation for Atrial Flutter AV Node Ablation
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InvestigationsExercise stress test Echocardiogram Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) Holter monitor Cardiac Event Recorder CT coronary calcium score CT coronary angiogram MIBI (Nuclear Heart Testing): Treadmill exercise MIBI Persantine MIBI
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Heart DiseasesCoronary Artery Disease / Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Angina Heart attack Heart failure Heart valve problems: Heart murmurs Mitral stenosis Mitral regurgitation Aortic stenosis Aortic regurgitation Tricuspid regurgitation Arrhythmia: Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Brugada Syndrome Sick Sinus Syndrome Syncope (Fainting) Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome Bundle Branch Block Pericarditis Myocarditis Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Atrial Septal Defect / Patent Foramen Ovale Pulmonary hypertension
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Cardiovascular Risk FactorsHypertension Hypertension, Diet, and Weight Heart Healthy Diet High Cholesterol Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Smoking Exercise Obesity and the Heart Obstructive Sleep Apnea
CONTACT US
ADDRESS
CONTACT
HOURS
Mon - Fri
7:30 am – 3:30 pm
604-736-6442
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed