Schulich Heart Program

Education:

• MD, 1984, University of Toronto, Canada
• Fellowship, 2003, College of Family Physicians, Canada
• Certification, emergency medicine, 1991, College of Family Physicians, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Schulich Heart Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Professor, department of family and community medicine, division of emergency medicine, U of T
• Associate member, Institute of Medical Science, U of T
• Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital
• Medical director, regions of Halton and Peel, Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Co-principal investigator, Toronto site, Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, St. Michael’s Hospital
• Interim principal investigator, Toronto site, Canadian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium
• Courtesy staff, department of emergency medicine, Sunnybrook
• Active staff, department of family medicine, William Osler Health System
• Medical director, Mississauga fire & emergency services
• Medical director, Caledon fire and emergency services
• Medical director, Brampton fire and emergency services

Research Foci:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• CPR quality
• Defibrillation
• Alternative mechanisms of automated external defibrillator delivery
• Remote ischemic conditioning

Research Summary:

Dr. Cheskes’ research interests lie in the area of resuscitation science, particularly cardiac arrest resuscitation. He has a particular interest in CPR quality and its impact on cardiac arrest survival. He is also interested in systems of care for STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) and prehospital airway management.

He is a co-principal investigator of studies exploring the impact of early prehospital treatment of sepsis, and the principal investigator of a study assessing the impact of remote ischemic conditioning on clinical outcomes from STEMI.

He is also the principal investigator of studies exploring innovative techniques in the treatment of refractory ventricular fibrillation and automated external defibrillator deployment for cardiac arrest.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

Related News and Stories:

• Using drones to help save lives, CityTV News (Apr. 25, 2019)
• Community tests use of drones in heart attacks, Canadian Healthcare Technology (April 10, 2019)
• Region of Peel to test drone delivery of defibrillators, Global News Radio 640 (April 4, 2019)
• Peel pilot project tests drone delivery of defibrillators to help cardiac arrest victims, The Toronto Star (April 2, 2019)
• Peel Region ponders adding drone-mounted, talking defibrillators to its EMS fleet, CBC News (March 28, 2019)
• In the business of saving lives, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada video (Jan. 7, 2016).
• Cardiac arrest can happen at any age, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada video (Jan. 7, 2016)
• Bystander CPR: A revival story, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada video (Dec. 2, 2015)
• Toronto researchers taking part in two of world’s largest cardiac arrest clinical trials, Globe and Mail (March 4, 2013)
• Saving one life at a time: Researcher explains how an ambitious cross-Canada research initiative will help save more lives from cardiac arrest, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

Related Links:

• U of T profile