[ANMCO Statement: semaglutide in cardio-nephro-metabolic disorders].

Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has emerged as a pivotal therapeutic agent in the management of the cardio-renal-metabolic continuum. Initially developed for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus, its benefits extend far beyond glucose regulation. Clinical trials have demonstrated semaglutide's potential to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events, particularly in overweight/obese patients with high cardiovascular risk, as well as improving functional capacity in patients suffering from heart failure with preserved left ventricular function.

Current Antithrombotic Treatments for Cardiovascular Diseases: A Comprehensive Review.

Antithrombotic therapies (ATT) play a pivotal role in the management of cardiovascular diseases, aiming to prevent ischemic events while maintaining a delicate balance with the patient's bleeding risk. Typically, ATT can be classified into antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies. Their application spans a broad spectrum of cardiovascular conditions, ranging from ischemic heart disease to atrial fibrillation, encompassing venous thromboembolisms and innovative structural interventional cardiology procedures.

Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists position paper-obesity in adults: a clinical primer.

Obesity is a chronic and relapsing disease characterized by the interaction between individual predispositions and an obesogenic environment. Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of energetic homoeostasis paved the way to more effective therapeutic approaches compared with traditional treatments. Since obesity is a complex disease, it necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach whose implementation remains challenging.

Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri (ANMCO) scientific statement on the simplification of the drug regimen for secondary cardiovascular prevention.

The issue of suboptimal drug regimen adherence in secondary cardiovascular prevention presents a significant barrier to improving patient outcomes. To address this, the utilization of drug combinations, specifically single pill combinations (SPCs) and polypills, was proposed as a strategy to simplify treatment regimens. This approach aims to enhance treatment accessibility, affordability, and adherence, thereby reducing healthcare costs and improving patient health.

[ANMCO Scientific statement on combination therapies and polypill in secondary prevention].

The issue of suboptimal drug regimen adherence in secondary cardiovascular prevention presents a significant barrier to improving patient outcomes. To address this, the utilization of drug combinations, specifically single pill combinations (SPCs) and polypills, was proposed as a strategy to simplify treatment regimens. This approach aims to enhance treatment accessibility, affordability, and adherence, thereby reducing healthcare costs and improving patient health.

Stalactites in the Right Ventricle.

Heart metastatic tumors are more frequent than primary heart tumors. Cardiac metastasis is a rare phenomenon, occurring mainly by direct spread, especially from lung cancer. Cardiac metastases may be asymptomatic or cause arrhythmias, nonspecific electrocardiographic alterations, or mimic a myocardial infarction.

[ANMCO Position paper: States General 2023 - Role of ANMCO in the setting of clinical research in Cardiology in Italy: current state and future perspectives].

For over 40 years, clinical research has been one of the most important aims of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO), being an essential tool in pursuing promotion and fulfillment of good clinical practices in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. Since 1992, with the creation of the Research Center (now part of the Heart Care Foundation), ANMCO is capable of independently and professionally managing all the aspects related to planning, management, and publication of the results of clinical studies. The other strength of ANMCO is the network built in Cardiology Departments on the whole territory of Italy, a human capital that allows ANMCO to deal with the new scientific challenges, in a context of profound changes in the social, economic, technological, and methodological setting.

[ANMCO Position paper: States General 2023 - Digital medicine in cardiology: evidence and state of progress in Italy].

Technological innovation provides easily accessible tools capable of simplifying healthcare processes. Notably, digital technology application in the cardiology field can improve prognosis, reduce costs, and lead to an overall improvement in healthcare. The digitization of health data, with the use of electronic health records and of electronic health files in Italy, represents one of the fields of application of digital technologies in medicine.

Saphenous vein to the right coronary system from the right thoracic artery or the aorta. Long-term propensity-matched results of 2 groups.

Objectives: Since 2000, we anastomosed the saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery system using the stump of the right internal thoracic artery as inflow. The long-term results of patients where the right coronary artery was grafted with the right internal thoracic artery or the ascending aorta as saphenous vein inflow has not been reported.

Methods: From 2000 to 2018, 699 consecutive patients had right internal thoracic artery elongated with saphenous vein (I-graft group, n = 358, 51.

Transcatheter bicaval valve system for the treatment of severe isolated tricuspid regurgitation. Features from a single-Centre experience.

Background: The isolated tricuspid valve (TR) has evolved into an entity in its own right. In contrast to TR treatment in left valve surgery, the benefit of surgery for isolated TR remains controversial. In this context, transcatheter valve interventions (TTVI) are becoming increasingly important.

[ANMCO Position paper - 2023 ANMCO States General: Towards a modern Cardiological Community Care].

Over the last two decades, cardiovascular diseases have become the leading cause of chronic disease morbidity and mortality in Italy. Therefore, the chronic cardiovascular care landscape has evolved rapidly in an era of unprecedented demand. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted significant deficiencies in existing health and social care systems, especially in the management of chronic cardiovascular disease.

[ANMCO Position paper - 2023 ANMCO States General: The shortage of healthcare personnel in the cardiology field].

Over the latest years, a worrying progressive reduction of medical specialists has been observed in Italy and in other European and non-European countries. This trend is assuming alarming proportions, especially considering the continuous population aging and the concomitant increase in the prevalence of chronic cardiovascular disease. The underlying reasons are complex and multifactorial.

Coronary Sinus Narrowing Improves Coronary Microcirculation Function in Patients With Refractory Angina: A Multicenter Prospective INROAD Study.

Background: The underlying mechanisms responsible for the clinical benefits following coronary sinus narrowing and pressure elevation remain unclear. The present study aims to investigate whether coronary sinus narrowing improves the indexes of coronary microcirculatory function.

Methods: Patients with refractory angina who had a clinical indication for reducer implantation underwent invasive physiological assessments before and 4 months after the procedure.

[The heart's food].

In our collective imagination, cooking - especially home cooking - has always been tied to the heart, perceived as the root and symbol of the universe of sentiments. In order to innovate, "haute cuisine" must speak to the intellect, but to do so, it must firstly pass through one's emotions, so that the message it intends to convey is not left futile. To speak of the heart is to speak of health, and as such, food remains an essential element; and well-researched cuisine can demonstrate that tastefulness and healthiness can be amalgamated.

Left Atrial Appendage Closure: A Current Overview Focused on Technical Aspects and Different Approaches.

Several studies in literature have shown that 90% of emboli related to non-valvular atrial fibrillation originate from left atrial appendage. Percutaneous closure or surgical exclusion of left atrial appendage in patients with high bleeding and high cardioembolic risk is currently a well established procedure in literature, clinical practice and guidelines. Knowledge of different techniques of left atrial appendage closure is necessary to individualize the procedure according to the patient anatomy and pre-procedural imaging evaluations.

[Role of fractional flow reserve for invasive functional evaluation in surgical myocardial revascularization: available evidence and state of the art].

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the ratio of distal to proximal pressure during maximal hyperemia and indirectly estimates the blood flow across a stenotic coronary artery and the related degree of myocardial ischemia. Several studies have investigated the role of FFR in the setting of percutaneous myocardial revascularization and further research is ongoing. However, current evidence on FFR-guided surgical myocardial revascularization is controversial and limited.

Mitral valve repair for mitral regugitation in the elderly: Yes, we have to, but look at the etiologies!

The meta-analysis by Di Tommaso et al. demonstrated as elderly patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing mitral valve repair had lower short-term mortality and higher long-term survival with respect to patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. The benefit of repair is such, that initial surgical strategy is advisable in the elderly even in case of mild symptoms if compared with conservative management.

Is surgery the fair competitor for MitraClip?

In the last decades, the overlapping areas of intervention between cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists are rocketing, especially in the field of treatment of heart valve disease. But, while for the aortic valve the competition, even for nonhigh risk patients, has become tightened, in the context of mitral regurgitation, the surgery seems to not have competitors. In fact looking the results of studies published so far, a question arises: Is surgery the fair competitor for the Mitraclip? The meta-analysis by Abdul Khader et al.