Come and listen to a story about how a group of talented experts have developed a credit card sized kit that can save people who are having a heart attack.
About half of adult Canadians have at least one risk factor for a heart attack; diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, family history over the age of 55. One third of those of Canadians who have a heart attack will die before they get to medical attention. James Stewart, an engineer, says he’s had “friends and relatives who have died of a heart attack. So that's been my motivation right from the beginning. I've used to carry ASA and nitroglycerin in a baggie and I've carried this in my emergency kit for a long time. And it wasn't until somebody who came with me on one of these snowmobiling excursions actually mentioned to me, ‘What are those pills you have in your emergency kit?’. And I said, ‘Well, that's ASA and Nitroglycerin’. And the fellow was studying nursing at Grant McEwen College, and he told me that, ‘Hey, those nitroglycerin pills, they will have expired. And I said, ‘Well, what do you mean?’ He said, ‘Well, nitroglycerin reacts with air and light and layers itself on plastic and metal. So those pills you're packing probably hold no potency’."
Stewart did some research and learned that this was all true. He needed to invent a packaging that would be stable so as to ensure that the medication remains stable for a long period of time.Stewart called up his friend, a renowned oncologist, Dr. John Mackey and the idea resonated with him too. Together, Stewart and Mackey came up with the idea of a heart attack card called SmHeartCard. It is a credit-card sized pill holder designed to save the lives of people who are having a heart attack. It holds 4ASA (81mg) and 3 Nitroglycerin (0.3 mg) pills, the standard medications given for the initial treatment of heart attack and angina.With the help of Dr. Neil Davies, a pharmacist who did the testing of the heart attack card, they proved that the pills can be stored safely for six months in the heart attack card.
Learn more about the SMHeartCard at the Festival of Health on May 25. Mackey will discuss his work on the project during the Rapid Fire Presentations from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Register here for your free ticket
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
North Campus, University of Alberta
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.