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Bringing the beat back: $900k grant to help researchers compare fixes for rapid heartbeat


June 29, 2016



It’s common for doctors in medical dramas to use a defibrillator to shock a patient back to life. However, the same machine can also help a heart that’s beating too fast. About 350,000 Canadians have atrial fibrillation (AF), a rapid, irregular heartbeat caused by a variety of conditions. In previous studies, Drs. Jeffrey Perry and Ian Stiell and their team found that Canadian emergency physicians use a wide variety of treatment options to quickly get this heart rate back to normal. The team received a $900k grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to compare the effectiveness of shocking on its own compared to giving the patient drugs before the shock. In addition to looking at heart rate, the randomized study will also record the length of hospital stay, adverse effects, patient satisfaction and two-week follow-up status. This is one of 22 grants awarded to researchers from The Ottawa Hospital / uOttawa in the latest CIHR competition.

Co-investigators: Birnie, David H; Borgundvaag, Bjug; Brison, Robert J; Hohl, Corinne M; Macle, Laurent; Mcrae, Andrew D; Rowe, Brian H; Sivilotti, Marco L; Vadeboncoeur, Alain; Wells, George A

The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion


The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care.

University of Ottawa


The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca

For further information, please contact


Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca