[Comparison between telephone and outpatient nursing management in patients with chronic heart failure in a large territorial area in Piedmont, Italy].

Background: In the last years, the increasing incidence and prevalence, the deterioration of quality of life, the high mortality and the elevated costs related to chronic heart failure represent one of the most important problems of public health care. Multidisciplinary management systems based on specialized nurses teams improve the outcome and reduce the costs of care of these patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the use for 1 year, in an urban or suburban population, of two different nurse-based management systems in addition to usual care for outpatients with congestive heart failure.

[Management of heart failure in Piedmont Region].

Background: Congestive heart failure (CHF) represents an emerging problem in industrialized countries: it continues to be diagnosed at high rates and has an decreased survival time, raising new problems, such as the need of an adequate medical service organization and resource expenditure. Aim of this analysis was a quantitative evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic resource use for CHF in outpatient departments in Piedmont, Italy.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional observational study, based on a two-month data collection in 12 outpatient departments dedicated to congestive heart failure.

Primary angioplasty and routine utilization of thrombus aspiration devices: feasibility and results in a consecutive series of 486 patients.

Background: Primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is the treatment of choice for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in high-volume centres with experienced operators, but is often limited by a suboptimal microvascular perfusion due to distal embolization and impaired myocardial perfusion. The present study investigates whether routine use of thrombus aspiration (TA) devices is feasible in daily practice, along with its safety and effectiveness.

Methods: This study is based on a series of 486 consecutive STEMI patients treated at our single institution by the same three operators (from 2001 to 2005).

[Outpatient medical and nurse management program in patients with chronic heart failure in a large territorial area in Piedmont. Four years of follow-up].

Background: Chronic heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization and readmissions. In the last years many strategies based on the interaction of multi-competence programs have been evaluated to improve its management.

Methods: We evaluated the feasibility of an outpatient management program for patients with chronic hearth failure jointly treated by hospital, territorial cardiologists, nurses and primary physicians in a large area of Piedmont.

[Heart rupture in acute myocardial infarction: multicenter observational study of the coronary unit of Piedmont].

Background: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the incidence of cardiac rupture during myocardial infarction (MI) as well as the predictive value of the main cardiac rupture risk factors.

Methods: The study was carried out in 17 coronary care units (CCU) between January and December 1999 in the Piedmont region (Italy).

Results: The incidence of cardiac rupture was 1.