Cardiologist Stuart Connolly remembered as a ‘generational thinker,’ electrophysiology pioneer
Stuart Connolly, MD, a veteran cardiologist known for his groundbreaking work in the field of electrophysiology, died June 2 after a long battle with neuroendocrine cancer. He was 75 years old.
Connolly spent 40 years at McMaster University as a professor and researcher, founding the school’s cardiac arrhythmia service line and serving as its chair of cardiology. He published more than 270 scientific articles over the course of his career, focusing primarily on electrophysiology studies, and served in leadership positions with multiple industry journals. Some of the topics he focused on in his research included the relationship between stroke and atrial fibrillation (AFib), direct oral anticoagulants and left atrial appendage occlusion.
The Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), a collaboration between McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, shared a loving tribute to Connolly’s memory, calling him a “pioneer in cardiac electrophysiology.” Two longtime PHRI colleagues, Salim Yusuf and Jeff Healey, commented on his legacy.
“We have lost a friend, a colleague, a generational thinker and a unique individual,” Yusuf and Healey wrote. They also said Connolly was “recognized worldwide as one of the most impactful clinical investigators in cardiac arrhythmia management, having helped define our current practice for stroke prevention in AFib, pacemaker therapy and the management of ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest.”
According to Connolly’s obituary in The Hamilton Spectator, he remained active in healthcare research until the end of his life; he was even published four different times by the New England Journal of Medicine in the last year before his death. Connolly was also known to be quite spiritual, practicing Buddhism for many years, and his passions included jazz, literature, theater, travel, gardening and sports such as gymnastics, skiing and running. In 2022, in fact, he finished second for his age group in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.
As soon as news of Connolly’s passing started to spread, friends and colleagues started to pay tribute to his legacy on various social media outlets.
Interventional cardiologist Sunil V. Rao, MD, director of interventional cardiology with NYU Langone Health, remembered him as a “giant in the field of cardiology.” Chris Simpson, MD, a practicing cardiologist and chief medical officer of Ontario Health, said Connolly’s impact “is felt by millions of patients worldwide” and that he will be “sorely missed.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.