ECG evaluation in 11 949 Italian teenagers: results of screening in secondary school.

Aim: There is lack of evidence regarding the screening role of ECG for sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of ECG abnormalities among teenagers according to sport participation and competitive status.

Methods: Eleven thousand nine hundred and forty-nine Italian pupils from 179 secondary schools (13-19 years) were consecutively enrolled.

Screening high school students in Italy for sudden cardiac death prevention by using a telecardiology device: a retrospective observational study.

Background: In 2010, an Italian project was launched aimed at using a telecardiology device in order to perform early diagnosis of young students at risk of sudden cardiac death.

Methods: Our retrospective observational study was conducted on a population of 13,016 students, aged between 16 and 19 years, in different Italian regions. It consisted of analysis of data recorded during a telecardiology pilot study.

Interactive simulator for e-Learning environments: a teaching software for health care professionals.

There is an established tradition of cardiovascular simulation tools, but the application of this kind of technology in the e-Learning arena is a novel approach. This paper presents an e-Learning environment aimed at teaching the interaction of cardiovascular and lung systems to health-care professionals. Heart-lung interaction must be analyzed while assisting patients with severe respiratory problems or with heart failure in intensive care unit.

Levosimendan improves renal function in acute decompensated heart failure: possible underlying mechanisms.

Aims: The cardio-renal syndrome plays a critical role in acute heart failure (HF). Levosimendan, an inodilator drug, has a positive but controversial effect on kidney. Our aim was to evaluate its effects on both renal and systemic haemodynamic parameters as well as on renal function, explaining the possible mechanisms involved.

TNM-like classification: a new proposed method for heart failure staging.

Heart Failure (HF) is an acute or chronic syndrome, that causes a lot of damaging effects to every system. The involvement of different systems is variably related to age and others comorbidities. The severity of organ damage is often proportional to the duration of heart failure.

Role of ion channels in coronary microcirculation: a review of the literature.

In normal coronary arteries, several different mechanisms of blood flow regulation exist, acting at different levels of the coronary tree: endothelial, nervous, myogenic and metabolic regulation. In addition, physiologic blood flow regulation is also dependent on the activity of several coronary ion channels, including ATP-dependent K(+) channels, voltage-gated K(+) channels and others. In this context, ion channels contribute by matching demands for homeostatic maintenance.

Economic evaluation of levosimendan versus dobutamine for the treatment of acute heart failure in Italy.

Introduction: Inodilators are the first-choice class of drugs for the treatment of acute heart failure (AHF). Levosimendan is a relatively recent inodilatory agent, presenting superior outcomes in comparison with traditional inotropes.

Methods: An economic evaluation of levosimendan for the treatment of AHF in Italy was performed.

Cost-effectiveness of levosimendan in patients with acute heart failure.

Heart failure is a major public health problem because of its high prevalence and impact on mortality, morbidity, quality of life, and social costs. The aim of this analysis was to estimate the effects of the novel inodilator levosimendan versus standard inotropic therapy (ST) of dobutamine in acute heart failure. A study population of 292 patients with acute heart failure was derived from an observational registry of patients referred to our department.