Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of cardiac rehabilitation. An overview from the working groups of "cellular and molecular biology of the heart" and "cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular prevention" of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC).

The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) have been demonstrated in patients after myocardial infarction (MI), and in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). The core components of the CR program include improvement in exercise tolerance and optimization of coronary risk factors (i.e.

The 'Padua classification' of cardiomyopathies into three groups: hypertrophic/restrictive, dilated/hypokinetic, and scarring/arrhythmogenic.

The newly proposed classification of cardiomyopathies, referred to as 'the Padua Classification', is based on both pathobiological basis (genetics, molecular biology, and pathology) and clinical features (morpho-functional and structural ventricular remodelling as evidenced by cardiac magnetic resonance). Cardiomyopathies are grouped into tree main categories and characterized by a designation combining both 'anatomical' and 'functional' features: hypertrophic/restrictive, dilated/hypokinetic, and scarring/arrhythmogenic; each cardiomyopathy group includes either genetic or non-genetic aetiologic variants. This novel approach aims to enhance the diagnostic accuracy and to support 'disease-specific' therapeutic strategies, with the objective to improve patient management and outcome.

Risk stratification in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy: scoring or personalized medicine?

Almost 40 years after the description of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), arrhythmic risk stratification remains central to patient management. Antiarrhythmic therapy may involve the use of antiarrhythmic drugs as well as invasive tools such as catheter ablation, with the implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator being of utmost importance. Given the wide phenotypic variability of ACM, the first step in arrhythmic risk stratification requires a thorough assessment of clinical, morphological, and electrical parameters.

Arrhythmic Risk Stratification of Carriers of Filamin C Truncating Variants.

Importance: Filamin C truncating variants (FLNCtv) are a rare cause of cardiomyopathy with heterogeneous phenotypic presentations. Despite a high incidence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD), reliable risk predictors to stratify carriers of FLNCtv are lacking.

Objective: To determine factors predictive of SCD/major ventricular arrhythmias (MVA) in carriers of FLNCtv.