Organization and Activity of Italian Echocardiographic Laboratories: A Survey of the Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging.

Background: The Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand better how different echocardiographic modalities are used and accessed in Italy.

Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved via an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website.

ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction Due to Stent Underexpansion Managed with Coronary Lithoplasty.

Background: Coronary calcified lesions may limit optimal stent deployment resulting in stent underexpansion, increasing the risk of thrombosis. The Shockwave Lithoplasty System, a new technology combining a balloon angioplasty catheter with the use of sound waves, it is able to break calcium deposits without affecting vascular soft tissue.

Case Presentation: An 80-year-old Caucasian man with ST elevation myocardial infarction underwent emergent coronary angiography showing complete intrastent thrombosis at the proximal trait of LAD.

Ectopic Origin of the Left Anterior Descending Artery from the Proximal Right Coronary Artery: An Imaging Report.

Anomalies of the coronary arteries represent rare congenital disorders, which are characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Usually, they are asymptomatic, but sometimes they cause myocardial ischemia or sudden cardiac death. Here, we describe the case of a patient who suffered from angina.

A Case of Critical Calcified Innominate Artery Stenosis Successfully Treated With the Shockwave Lithoplasty.

Purpose: The Shockwave Lithoplasty System represents a novel technology combining a balloon angioplasty catheter with the use of sound waves. Evidences suggest that it is a reliable tool to overcome calcified stenosis in both peripheral and coronary arteries. Here, we describe the case of a patient with calcified innominate artery stenosis successfully treated with the Shockwave Lithoplasty System.

Acute coronary stent thrombosis: A case of type 3 Kounis syndrome.

Kounis syndrome refers to an acute coronary syndrome, consequent to an allergic reaction. It results from mast cell degranulation with subsequent release of numerous inflammatory mediators, leading to coronary vasospasm, atheromatous plaque rupture, or stent thrombosis. Here, we describe the case of a 47-year-old Caucasian man with acute stent thrombosis, as a consequence of allergic reaction to contrast media.

When Calcium Gets Tough, the Tough Cardiologist Starts to Play ….

Coronary calcification is a hard challenge for the interventional cardiologist, as it is associated with incomplete stent expansion and frequently stent failure. In recent years, innovative techniques, such as rotational atherectomy, have been developed to treat coronary calcification. However, these are burdened with an increased procedural risk.

A Case of Stent Under-Expansion due to Calcified Plaque Treated with Shockwave Lithoplasty.

We report the case of a stent under-expansion due to heavily calcified plaque treated with the shockwave lithoplasty system. A 77-year-old woman underwent coronary angiography, and intravascular ultrasound revealed stent under-expansion due to calcified plaque. Shockwave lithoplasty balloon was used to disrupt calcium deposits around the stent, thereby allowing a correct stent expansion with an excellent angiographic and intravascular ultrasound result.

Frequency of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is significantly related to adverse clinical outcomes in patients at high risk of cardiovascular events. In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), data on LVH, that is, prevalence and determinants, are inconsistent mainly because of different definitions and heterogeneity of study populations. We determined echocardiographic-based LVH prevalence and clinical factors independently associated with its development in a prospective cohort of patients with non-valvular (NV) AF.

Insulin-resistance HCV infection-related affects vascular stiffness in normotensives.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS. Arterial stiffness evaluated as pulse wave velocity, is an early marker of vascular damage and an independent predictor for cardiovascular events. We investigated if the insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia chronic hepatitis C virus infection-related could influence arterial stiffness.

Chronic HCV infection increases cardiac left ventricular mass index in normotensive patients.

Background & Aims: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), is an independent predictor for cardiovascular events. We investigated if chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the related insulin resistance (IR)/hyperinsulinemia could influence the increase of left ventricular mass (LVM).

Methods: We enrolled 260 outpatients matched for age, body mass index, gender, ethnicity: 52 with never-treated uncomplicated chronic HCV infection (HCV(+)), 104 never-treated hypertensives (HT) and 104 healthy subjects (NT).

Angiotensin (1-7) counteracts the negative effect of angiotensin II on insulin signalling in HUVECs.

Aims: Angiotensin II participates to the regulation of cardiovascular physiology and it is involved in molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance. Angiotensin (1-7), derived from angiotensin II metabolism, is able to counteract many of the haemodynamic and non-haemodynamic actions of angiotensin II. In this study, we investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) the possible action of angiotensin (1-7) on the insulin signalling pathway.