The Lipid-Lowering Efficacy of a Nutraceutical Combination Including Leucoselect Phytosome, Red Yeast Rice, Policosanol and Folic Acid in Dyslipidaemia Patients: Real-World Insights.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a global health concern and reducing plasma LDL-C levels is a major goal in cardiovascular prevention. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutraceutical formulation including leucoselect phytosome, red yeast rice, policosanol and folic acid on LDL-c levels in patients at low cardiovascular risk with dyslipidemia.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively enrolled all consecutive patients with dyslipidemia at low cardiovascular risk who were unresponsive to diet and physical activity.

The mitral-to-aortic flow-velocity integral ratio in the real world echocardiographic evaluation of functional mitral regurgitation before and after percutaneous repair.

Introduction: Percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) using MitraClip system has emerged as a therapeutic option for patients with functional severe mitral regurgitation (FMR) at prohibitive risk for surgery. In this setting, the echocardiographic assessment of FMR severity is challenging because the traditional echocardiographic methods have important limitations. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and reliability of a simple Doppler index, the mitral/aortic flow velocity integral ratio (MAVIR), to evaluate residual FMR severity after PMVR.

Genetics of Takotsubo Syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an enigmatic disease with a multifactorial and still unresolved pathogenesis. A genetic predisposition has been suggested based on the few familial TTS cases. Conflicting results have been published regarding the role of functional polymorphisms in relevant candidate genes, such as α1-, β1-, and β2-adrenergic receptors; G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5; and estrogen receptors.

The Role of Multimodality Cardiac Imaging for the Assessment of Sports Eligibility in Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) cannot be considered an innocent finding, but it is not necessarily a life-threatening condition. Athletes with BAV should undergo a thorough staging of the valve anatomy, taking into consideration hemodynamic factors, as well as aortic diameters and looking for other associated significant cardiovascular anomalies by use of a multimodality cardiac imaging approach. Furthermore an accurate follow-up is mandatory with serial cardiological controls in those allowed to continue sports.

Production of radioactive phantoms using a standard inkjet printer and the public domain multi-printing code GENIA.

The public domain code GENIA, based on multi-printing method for producing surface sources with appropriate radioactivity, is described. The conventional technique, running on standard inkjet printer with radio-marked ink filling, is improved by repeating elementary printing commands in the same band. Well outlined sources with adjustable radioactivity can be obtained without refilling.