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Background: In the real world, medical practice is changing hand in hand with the development of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and problems from different areas have been successfully solved using AI algorithms. Specifically, the use of AI techniques in setting up or building precision medicine is significant in terms of the accuracy of disease discovery and tailored treatment. Moreover, with the use of technology, clinical personnel can deliver a very much efficient healthcare service. Objective: This article reviews AI state-of-the-art in cardiovascular disease management, focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic improvements. Methods: To that end, we conducted a detailed PubMed search on AI application from distinct areas of cardiology: heart failure, arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation, syncope and cardiovascular rehabilitation. Particularly, to assess the impact of these technologies in clinical decision-making, this research considers technical and medical aspects. Results: : On one hand, some devices in heart failure, atrial fibrillation and cardiac rehabilitation represent an inexpensive, not invasive or not very invasive approach to long-term surveillance and management in these areas. On the other hand, the availability of large datasets (big data) is a useful tool to predict the development and outcome of many cardiovascular diseases. In summary, with this new guided therapy, the physician can supply prompt, individualised, and tailored treatment and the patients feel safe as they are continuously monitored, with a significant psychological effect. Conclusion: Soon, tailored patient care via telemonitoring can improve clinical practice because AI-based systems support cardiologists in daily medical activities, improving disease detection and treatment. However, the physician-patient relationship remains a pivotal step.

Pulmonary hypertension is a not-so-rare complication of connective tissue diseases and is usually related with an inauspicious prognosis. We present the case of a 67-years-old woman hospitalized for progressive dyspnea. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed numerous features related to pulmonary hypertension (PH) with moderate Mitral Regurgitation. The right cardiac catheterization confirmed mixed PH (pre and post capillary) without chest angio-TC evidence of pulmonary thromboembolism. Thanks to optimized medical therapy (B-Blocker, ACE-i and diuretics), there was a significant clinical improvement documented at discharge. After 1 year, due to recurrence of dyspnea, she was admitted to our medical unit. Her clinical examination showed some of the characteristics of a connective tissue disease. Compared to previous echocardiography, a moderate to mild reduction of MR was documented. Chest CT scan revealed interstitial lung disease likely related to patient's underlying pathology. Immunological screening tests detected the presence of antinuclear (ANA) and anti-topoisomerase (ATA) antibodies. Right heart catheterization documented a worsening of PH with only pre-capillary component. On the basis of the above findings, a diagnosis of CREST syndrome complicated with PH was made, and the patient was started on oral combination of macitentan and riociguat. The frequency of this complication in connective tissue disease, the need for screening tests and different treatment approaches of pre and post capillary pulmonary hypertension is discussed.

Background Large cardiovascular (CV) trials enrolling patients with type 2 diabetes showed that sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) significantly decreased heart failure (HF) hospitalization, both in patients with or without a history of HF. Accordingly, DAPA-HF (Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure) demonstrated the efficacy of dapagliflozin, for the reduction of CV death/HF hospitalization in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) regardless of type 2 diabetes status. However, there are still few real-word data and it is still not well known how early the clinical benefits are after the introduction of the drug into therapy; consequently, we aimed to evaluate the effect of dapagliflozin three months after its introduction in therapy in our real-world population. Methods From February 2022 to September 2022 we introduced Dapagliflozin in 23 HFrEF patients’ therapy and we collected data of 11 patients (66.78±3.96 years; 89% men) at 3-months-FU. Specifically, on the first visit we collected the clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic parameters and dapagliflozin was added to optimal medical therapy of patients; then, the patients were evaluated after 3 months (follow-up). Results At follow-up, all patients were free from side effects and we did not record statistically significant differences in laboratory parameters and/or blood pressure values. As regards the echocardiographic parameters, there was an improvement in FE (28.11±2.95 vs 37.00±5.71%, p0.17), PAPS (46.89±3.94 vs 37.63±5.27mmHg, p0.17), and LVEDVind (75.34±10.58 vs 57.20±13.55 ml/m2, p0.30), although not statistically significant. Moreover, we observed a statistically significant reduction in the diameter of the inferior vena cava (18.89±1.78 vs 11.5±1.15 mm, p Conclusions Dapagliflozin improved symptoms, and quality of life in patients with HFrEF of our real world population already after 12 weeks, accordingly with previous data of DEFINE-HF trial. Moreover, already after 3 months was possible to record improvements in the echocardiographic parameters, even if they are not statistically significant. Certainly, it will be necessary to continue with the study to evaluate these results on a larger sample.

Background Heart failure (HF) alternates phases of stability and phases of exacerbation, with a progressive decline in the patient's functional capacity and quality of life; the need to anticipate and improve the effectiveness of management of HF exacerbation has led to the development of several remote monitoring tools. We report our experience with CardioMEMS HF system (implantable device to monitor changes in pulmonary artery diastolic pressure (PAPd) as early indicator of the onset of worsening HF) in order to optimize the pharmaceutical treatments strategy (e.g. Levosimendan infusion) and to assess the impact on hospital resources consumption and costs. Methods We enrolled 7 patients (69.00±4.88 years; 30% female) with end-stage HF, implanted with CardioMEMS and daily monitored remotely, in order to optimize both tailored adjustment of home therapy and infusions of Levosimendan. More in detail, if the cardiologist detected a tendency for PAPd to rise, patients were contacted for home therapeutic changes. If no further changes were possible, the patient was hospitalized for the infusion of Levosimendan. In order to calculate the impact of this remote monitoring strategy on resources consumption, we collected data on hospitalizations (e.g. causes, numbers, length, high-cost drugs and costs) taking into account the same number of months pre and post-CardioMEMS implant for each patient. Results Following the implantation of CardioMEMS we observed a 45% reduction in the total number of hospitalizations and a 62% reduction in the days of hospitalization (from a total of 421 days before implantation to a total of 159 days post implantation in the observation period). From an economic point of view, a significant hospital cost reduction was recorded in terms of both hospitalization costs (HF related re-hospitalization and CardioMEMS's implant related cost) and drugs infusion costs (hospital stay and drug costs); more specifically, the total savings for the 7 patients are around € 236,000 and total days of hospitalization avoided are around 500 days including the hospitalizations avoided for drugs infusion. Accordingly, was recorded an improvement in patients’ quality of life measured with EQ5D (pre-implantation 75.17±2.06 vs post-implantation 108.60±8.70, p 0.0078). Conclusions Our preliminary results support the usefulness of this system in the remote management of the HF patients and in the re-hospitalization reduction both for exacerbation and drug management. In fact, the parameters’ monitoring through the CardioMEMS device allows a personalized management of drug therapy; more precisely, considering the drug Levosimendan, instead of a periodic standard timing for infusion, a patient-tailored timing of infusion was applied. In conclusion, our innovative strategy contributes to achieve the organizational efficiency of the healthcare facilities, as well as to the adequate use and allocation of financial and human resources with a better outcome for HF patients.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complex disease affecting young adults. It is a pathological condition impairing myocardium activity that leads to heart failure and, in the most severe cases, transplantation, which is currently the only possible therapy for the disease. DCM can be attributed to many genetic determinants interacting with environmental factors, resulting in a highly variable phenotype. Due to this complexity, the early identification of causative gene mutations is an important goal to provide a genetic diagnosis, implement pre-symptomatic interventions, and predict prognosis. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has opened a new path for mutation screening, and exome sequencing provides a promising approach for identifying causal variants in known genes and novel disease-associated candidates. We analyzed the whole-exome sequencing (WES) of 15 patients affected by DCM without overloading (hypertension, valvular, or congenital heart disease) or chronic ischemic conditions. We identified 70 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants and 1240 variants of uncertain clinical significance. Gene ontology enrichment analysis was performed to assess the potential connections between affected genes and biological or molecular function, identifying genes directly related to extracellular matrix organization, transcellular movement through the solute carrier and ATP-binding cassette transporter, and vitamin B12 metabolism. We found variants in genes implicated to a different extent in cardiac function that may represent new players in the complex genetic scenario of DCM.

Sacubitril/valsartan (Sac/Val) reduces mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) compared to enalapril. However, its effects on functional capacity remain uncertain; consequently, we sought to compare Sac/Val vs. standard medical therapy, in terms of effects on prognostically significant CPET parameters, in HFrEF patients during a long follow-up period. We conducted a single-center, observational study in an HF clinic; specifically, we retrospectively identified that 12 patients switched to Sac/Val and 13 patients that managed with standard, optimal medical therapy (control group). At each visit, baseline, and follow-up (median time: 16 months; IQ range: 11.5–22), we collected demographic information, medical history, vital signs, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, standard laboratory data, pharmacological treatment information, and echocardiographic parameters. The study’s primary end-point was the change from baseline in peak VO2 (adjusted to body weight). We did not observe significant differences between the two study groups at baseline. Similarly, we did not observe any significant differences during the follow-up in mean values of peak VO2 corrected for body weight: Sac/Val baseline: 12.2 ± 4.6 and FU: 12.7 ± 3.3 vs. control group: 13.1 ± 4.2 and 13.0 ± 4.2 mL/kg/min; p = 0.49. No significant treatment differences were observed for changes in VE/VCO2 slope: Sac/Val baseline: 35.4 ± 7.4 and FU: 37.2 ± 13.1 vs. control group: 34.6 ± 9.1 and 34.0 ± 7.3; p = 0.49. In conclusion, after a median follow-up period of 16 months, there was no significant benefit of Sac/Val on peak VO2 and other measures of CPET compared with standard optimal therapy in patients with HFrEF.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert several beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of a novel high-load omega-3 lysine complex, AvailOm®, its related constituents and a novel mixture of AvailOm® with specific vasoactive anthocyanins on vascular function in mice resistance artery. Pressure myograph was used to perform vascular reactivity studies. Nitric oxide and oxidative stress were assessed by difluorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium, respectively. Increasing doses of AvailOm® exerted a dose-response vasorelaxation via AMPK-eNOS-mediated signaling. Omega-3 Ethyl Ester was identified as the main bioactive derivative of AvailOm®, being capable of inducing vasorelaxant action to the same extent of entire product. The combination of AvailOm® with a mix of potent vasoactive anthocyanins (C3-glu + DP3-glu + Mal3-glu + Mal3-gal + PEO3-gal), strongly protected mesenteric arteries from vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress evoked by oxidized-LDL. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct effects of AvailOm® on resistance arteries. The evidence that the combination of specific vasoactive anthocyanins and AvailOm® further enhanced the vasculoprotective properties of these compounds, may offer new promising perspectives for preventing the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a progressive issue that grows in importance with the increased average age of the world population. The potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in its prevention and treatment is firmly recognized. Indeed, AI application allows personalized medicine and tailored treatment for each patient. Specifically, this article reviews the benefits of AI in AH management, pointing out diagnostic and therapeutic improvements without ignoring the limitations of this innovative scientific approach. Consequently, we conducted a detailed search on AI applications in AH: the articles (quantitative and qualitative) reviewed in this paper were obtained by searching journal databases such as PubMed and subject-specific professional websites, including Google Scholar. The search terms included artificial intelligence, artificial neural network, deep learning, machine learning, big data, arterial hypertension, blood pressure, blood pressure measurement, cardiovascular disease, and personalized medicine. Specifically, AI-based systems could help continuously monitor BP using wearable technologies; in particular, BP can be estimated from a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal obtained from a smartphone or a smartwatch using DL. Furthermore, thanks to ML algorithms, it is possible to identify new hypertension genes for the early diagnosis of AH and the prevention of complications. Moreover, integrating AI with omics-based technologies will lead to the definition of the trajectory of the hypertensive patient and the use of the most appropriate drug. However, AI is not free from technical issues and biases, such as over/underfitting, the “black-box” nature of many ML algorithms, and patient data privacy. In conclusion, AI-based systems will change clinical practice for AH by identifying patient trajectories for new, personalized care plans and predicting patients’ risks and necessary therapy adjustments due to changes in disease progression and/or therapy response.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death and illness in Europe and worldwide, responsible for a staggering 47% of deaths in Europe. Over the past few years, there has been increasing evidence pointing to bioactive sphingolipids as drivers of CVDs. Among them, most studies place emphasis on the cardiovascular effect of ceramides and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), reporting correlation between their aberrant expression and CVD risk factors. In experimental in vivo models, pharmacological inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis averts the development of diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart failure. In humans, levels of circulating sphingolipids have been suggested as prognostic indicators for a broad spectrum of diseases. This article provides a comprehensive review of sphingolipids’ contribution to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and metabolic diseases, focusing on the latest experimental and clinical findings. Cumulatively, these studies indicate that monitoring sphingolipid level alterations could allow for better assessment of cardiovascular disease progression and/or severity, and also suggest them as a potential target for future therapeutic intervention. Some approaches may include the down-regulation of specific sphingolipid species levels in the circulation, by inhibiting critical enzymes that catalyze ceramide metabolism, such as ceramidases, sphingomyelinases and sphingosine kinases. Therefore, manipulation of the sphingolipid pathway may be a promising strategy for the treatment of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases.

During the last years, the management of heart failure (HF) made substantial progress, focusing on device-based therapies to meet the demands of this complex syndrome. In this case report, we present a multistep approach to deal with HF. Specifically, we report the first patient subjected to the implantation of both Optimizer Smart® (Impulse Dynamics Inc., Marlton, NJ, USA) and CardioMEMS devices. A 72-year-old male patient with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was admitted to our cardiology department in January 2021, following a progressive shortening of the time between hospitalizations for levosimendan infusions. Specifically, the patient was monitored daily by CardioMEMS, and a strategy of levosimendan infusions guided by the device had been adopted. He was also a carrier of MitraClips and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and had optimized HF medical therapy. In January 2021, the patient implanted Optimizer Smart® device for cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) therapy because of poor response to therapy and elevated pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). CCM significantly reduced PAP values following discharge (systolic PAP 33.67 ± 2.92 vs. 40.6 ± 3.37 mmHg, diastolic PAP 14.5 ± 2.01 vs. 22.5 ± 2.53 mmHg, mean PAP 22.87 ± 2.20 vs. 30.9 ± 2.99 mmHg, HR 60.93 ± 1.53 vs. 80.83 ± 3.66 bpm; p < 0.0001), with persisting effect at 9 months. The usefulness of CCM is objectively demonstrated for the first time by continuous invasive monitoring of PAP by CardioMEMS, which can suggest the correct timing for CCM implantation.

Purpose: Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) might be considered a valid alternative to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for both the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Correct information on how to perform HBPM are crucial for its reliability. The aim of the present survey was to assess if hypertensive patients followed current recommendation on how to correctly perform HBPM measurements. Materials and methods: The survey included 30 different items on how to perform the HBPM. It was developed by the ‘Young Investigators’ group of the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension (SIIA) and it was administered during the office visit between May 2019 and December 2021. Results: A total of 643 hypertensive patients participated in the study. Main results show that, despite the rate of informed patients was relatively high (71% of the whole population), unacceptable number of patients did not follow indications on how to perform a correct HBPM. Patients who were informed on how to measure home BP had a significantly higher rate of correct position during measurement (78 vs. 22%, p < 0.01), avoidance of talking and moving during measurement (68 vs. 32%, p < 0.0001), and correct number and time interval between two measurements (85 vs. 15%, p < 0.001). More accurate measurements of home BP were associated with less prevalence of carotid plaque. Conclusions: Correct performance for HBPM is low among patients treated in Italian hypertension centers. These findings shed light on the importance of correct HBPM measurements for the detection of accurate BP values for the proper management of hypertensive patients.

Though the acute effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been extensively reported, the long-term effects are less well described. Specifically, while clinicians endure to battle COVID-19, we also need to develop broad strategies to manage post-COVID-19 symptoms and encourage those affected to seek suitable care. This review addresses the possible involvement of the lung, heart and brain in post-viral syndromes and describes suggested management of post-COVID-19 syndrome. Post-COVID-19 respiratory manifestations comprise coughing and shortness of breath. Furthermore, arrhythmias, palpitations, hypotension, increased heart rate, venous thromboembolic diseases, myocarditis and acute heart failure are usual cardiovascular events. Among neurological manifestations, headache, peripheral neuropathy symptoms, memory issues, lack of concentration and sleep disorders are most commonly observed with varying frequencies. Finally, mental health issues affecting mental abilities and mood fluctuations, namely anxiety and depression, are frequently seen. Finally, long COVID is a complex syndrome with protracted heterogeneous symptoms, and patients who experience post-COVID-19 sequelae require personalized treatment as well as ongoing support.

The angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) sacubitril/valsartan (Sac/Val) demonstrated to be superior to enalapril in reducing hospitalizations, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in patients with ambulatory heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), in particular when it is maximally up-titrated. Unfortunately, the target dose is achieved in less than 50% of HFrEF patients, thus undermining the beneficial effects on the outcomes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of Sac/Val and its titration dose on reverse cardiac remodelling and determine which echocardiographic index best predicts the up-titration success.From January 2020 to June 2021, we retrospectively identified 95 patients (65.6 [59.1-72.8] years; 15.8% females) with chronic HFrEF who were prescribed Sac/Val from the HF Clinics of 5 Italian University Hospitals and evaluated the tolerability of Sac/Val high dose (the ability of the patient to achieve and stably tolerate the maximum dose) as the primary endpoint in the cohort. We used a multivariable logistic regression analysis, with a stepwise backward selection method, to determine the independent predictors of Sac/Val maximum dose tolerability, using, as candidate predictors, only variables with a P-value0.1 in the univariate analyses. Candidate predictors identified for the multivariable backward logistic regression analysis were age, sex, body mass index (BMI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dyslipidaemia, atrial fibrillation, systolic blood pressure (SBP), baseline tolerability of ACEi/ARBs maximum dose, left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LVgLS), LV ejection fraction (EF), tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), right ventricle (RV) fractional area change (FAC), RV global and free wall longitudinal strain (RVgLS and RV-FW-LS). After the multivariable analysis, only one categorical (ACEi/ARBs maximum dose at baseline) and three continuous (younger age, higher SBP, and higher TAPSE), resulted significantly associated with the study outcome variable with a strong discriminatory capacity (area under the curve 0.874, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.794-0.954) to predict maximum Sac/Val dose tolerability.Our study is the first to analyse the potential role of echocardiography and, in particular, of RV dysfunction, measured by TAPSE, in predicting Sac/Val maximum dose tolerability. Therefore, patients with RV dysfunction (baseline TAPSE16 mm, in our cohort) might benefit from a different strategy to titrate Sac/Val, such as starting from the lowest dose and/or waiting for a more extended period of observation before attempting with the higher doses.

Aims The definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH) requires the documentation of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPm) ≥20 mmHg at rest, assessed by right cardiac catheterization. This condition can characterize multiple clinical conditions with different pathophysiological and haemodynamic aspects. Specifically, in pulmonary arterial hypertension (IAP) (Group 1), the increase in PAP is due to an intrinsic pathology of the pulmonary microcirculation; Group 2 includes the forms of IP associated with a pathology of the left heart; Group 3 includes all pathologies of the pulmonary parenchyma and/or hypoxic conditions that lead to a secondary impairment of the small circulation; Group 4 identifies patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary heart (CPCTE); finally, Group 5 includes rare clinical conditions in which IP is linked to direct involvement or ab extrinsic compression of the pulmonary vessels. Methods and results To examine the number of deaths and the differences between the various subgroups, we analyzed the follow-up of approximately 76 patients (64.30 ± 13.20 years, 37% male) enrolled in the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic of the San Giovanni AOU Dio and Ruggi d’Aragona of Salerno from 2014 to 2020 excluding patients with IP under definition and those ‘screened’ who did not show pulmonary hypertension at rest. At each visit, the patients were subjected to anamnestic data collection, physical examination, measurement of blood pressure, heart rate, arterial saturation, transthoracic cardiac echo color Doppler at rest, attribution of the functional class NYHA, evaluation of functional capacity by performing the test of the 6-min walk test (6MWT) and possible programming of right cardiac catheterization. From the data analysis it was found that 26 patients (34.21%, 55.81 ± 13.90 years, 27% males) were affected by IP group 1; 15 patients (19.48%, 74.12 ± 6.26 years, 20% male) were affected by IP group 2; 14 patients (18.18%, 63.34 ± 11.52 years, 71% male) were affected by IP group 3; 12 patients (15.58%, 67.22 ± 11.53 years, 33% male) were affected by IP group 4; 2 patients (2.60%, 71.57 ± 12.48 years, 0% male) were affected by IP group 5; 7 patients (9.09%, 70.07 ± 8.27 years, 57% male) were affected by group 2–3 mixed IP. Analysing the number of deaths, of the 76 patients, 17 deaths were recorded in total (22.37%). All patients in group 1 had been treated with specific therapy and survival was 88% at 3 years. Of the three deaths (12%) in this group, one patient had idiopathic PAH non-responder to pulmonary vasoreactivity test, one patient belonged to the IAP subgroup associated with congenital heart shunt but with concomitant lung disease, and the third patient belonged to the IAP subgroup associated with connective tissue disease (specifically Takayasu’s arteritis). From the analysis of the idiopathic IAP subgroup it emerged that the patients were all women, with an average age of 50.81 ± 3.98 years, and that the deceased patient was distinguished at the first visit from the other patients for: a history of arterial hypertension, dysthyroidism, and obesity; worst NYHA class (III vs. II), elevated heart rate (102 vs. 70.00 ± 7.07 b.p.m.) and blood pressure (SBP: 150.00 vs. 127.50 ± 10.61; DBP 90.00 vs. 75.00 ± 7.07 mmHg) at rest at the clinic visit. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed elevated PAPs values (100.00 vs. 42.50 ± 20.51 mmHg), low TAPSE values (20.00 vs. 26.50 ± 3.54 mm), reduced pulmonary acceleration time (ACT 60 ms), enlargement of the right atrium (area 22 cm2), worst exercise tolerance parameters (6MWT 300 m and 86% final SO2 vs. 427.50 ± 74.25 m and 96.50 ± 0.71% final SO2). Conclusions The percentage of deaths in the different groups appears very heterogeneous, especially if we consider the six deaths (42.86%) in group 3 and three deaths (42.86%) in patients with mixed IP groups 2 and 3. In these two groups, age and advanced NYHA class were the most representative prognostic factors. On the other hand, analysing patients belonging to the idiopathic IAP subgroup, a worse prognosis is entrusted to the negativity of the vasoreactivity test, to the presence of cardiovascular comorbidities (arterial hypertension and dysthyroidism in our case), to worse echocardiographic values (PAPs, TAPSE, ACT, atrial area right) and reduced functional capacity at the 6MWT. However, early treatment and innovative drugs together with a careful strategy have been allowed.

Aims Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) detects subtle systolic abnormalities in various cardiovascular conditions, which represent significant risk factors for cognitive impairment and stroke. Specifically, GLS has emerged as a more precise myocardial function measure than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This study investigated the relationship of GLS with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in hypertensive patients. Methods and results From February 2020 to October 2021 were enrolled hypertensive patients without atrial fibrillation and/or cerebrovascular and/or neurodegenerative diseases. Complete demographic, clinical characteristics, laboratory analyses, conventional echocardiographic parameters were collected. Finally, MCI was defined by accurate the Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (QMCI) Screen corrected for age and education. This score explores spatial and temporal orientation, registration, delayed recall, clock design, logical memory, and verbal fluency in a brief time (5 min—score 0–100); a compliance questionnaire (Morisky medication adherence scale); a questionnaire on nutritional status (MNA). 81 hypertensive patients [66 ± 7.27 years; 9 (11%) female] were included in the study. Concerning echocardiographic evaluation, LVEF was 50.47 ± 9.95% and mean GLS was −16.00 ± 3.66. Mean QMCI corrected for age and education was 56.45 ± 9.37, and MCI was detected in 21 patients (26%). When comparing the patients with MCI (QMCItot 49.4), a statistically significant difference of GLS values was detected (no MCI: −16.52 ± 3.66 vs. MCI: −14.18 ± 3.23; P = 0.032); on the other hand, the two groups did not differ in LVEF (no MCI: 50.58 ± 9.70 vs. MCI: 48.86 ± 11.93; P = 0.864). Furthermore, excluding patients with FE ≥ 45% from the analysis, a statistically significant linear regression was observed between QMCI (corrected for age and education) and the GLS (P = 0.014) (Figure 1). Conclusions Compromised GLS, but not LV EF, is related to MCI in hypertensive patients who are free of clinical dementia, stroke, and neurodegenerative disease. Moreover, our study demonstrates for the first time the existence of a significant association between the QMCI and GLS; consequently, GLS could be an additional parameter in clinical practice for early recognition of MCI. However, studies on a larger population will be needed to confirm this association.

Aims Hypertension is a known risk factor for stroke and vascular dementia. Recent studies have also shown that arterial hypertension represents a clear risk factor for mild cognitive decline and its evolution into Alzheimer’s disease. Really, mild cognitive decline significantly compromises the patient’s quality of life, reducing compliance with therapy and increasing mortality and hospitalization. Diagnosis of dementia is challenging and requires both ruling out potentially treatable underlying causes and ruling in a diagnosis of dementia subtype. Currently, this diagnosis is based on the execution of second-level investigations (e.g. neuroimaging), that are expensive and not always available. For this reason, we analysed a population of hypertensive patients without atrial fibrillation and/or cerebrovascular and/or neurodegenerative diseases, with the aim of verifying the existence of an association between cognitive impairment and flows on the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Methods We considered 33 hypertensive patients (age 64.90 co1.40 years; 72% male). Specifically, we considered anthropometric, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic parameters. Also, we administered: an accurate, sensitive, and specific screening test (QMCI) for the assessment of intermediate cognitive decline (MCI), which explores spatial and temporal orientation, registration, delayed recall, clock design, logical memory and verbal fluency in a concise time (5 min—score 0–100); a compliance questionnaire (Morisky medication adherence scale); a questionnaire on nutritional status (MNA). Finally, we recorded transcranial Doppler flows on the MCA. Results There is no QMCItot score compatible with dementia ( Conclusions In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time the existence of a significant association between the QMCI and the sampling of the MCA at the ultrasound Doppler. Studies on a larger population will be needed to confirm this association and to test the translational relevance, in particular to tailor therapeutic approach in patients with abnormal MCA Doppler.

Insulin resistance (IRES) is a pathophysiological condition characterized by the reduced response to insulin of several tissues, including myocardial and skeletal muscle. IRES is associated with obesity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, evolves toward type 2 diabetes, and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Several studies designed to explore the mechanisms involved in IRES allowed the identification of a multitude of potential molecular targets. Among the most promising, G Protein Coupled Receptor Kinase type 2 (GRK2) appears to be a suitable one given its functional implications in many cellular processes. In this review, we will discuss the metabolic role of GRK2 in those conditions that are characterized by insulin resistance (diabetes, hypertension, heart failure), and the potentiality of its inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to revert both insulin resistance and its associated phenotypes.

Aging can be seen as process characterized by accumulation of oxidative stress induced damage. Oxidative stress derives from different endogenous and exogenous processes, all of which ultimately lead to progressive loss in tissue and organ structure and functions. The oxidative stress theory of aging expresses itself in age-related diseases. Aging is in fact a primary risk factor for many diseases and in particular for cardiovascular diseases and its derived morbidity and mortality. Here we highlight the role of oxidative stress in age-related cardiovascular aging and diseases. We take into consideration the molecular mechanisms, the structural and functional alterations, and the diseases accompanied to the cardiovascular aging process.

Serum uric acid (sUA) has been associated with cardiovascular risk. Although the recent mechanistic hypothesis poses the basis for the association between sUA and left ventricular mass index (LVMi), the issue remains poorly investigated in a clinical setup. Through a retrospective analysis of the database of the departmental Hypertension Clinic of University Hospital of Salerno Medical School, we identified 177 essential hypertensives (age 60.3 ± 13.3 years; 85 men), free from uric acid-modulating medications and severe chronic kidney disease, and whose sUA values, anthropometric, clinical, and echocardiographic data were available. In the studied cohort, the average duration of hypertension was 8.4 ± 7.1 years. LVMi associated with classical determinants, such as age, blood pressure, and kidney function, although after multivariate correction, only age remained significant. Also, sUA correlated positively with LVMi, as well as body size, metabolism, and kidney function. In a multivariate analysis, sUA confirmed the independent association with LVMi. Also, levels of sUA >5.6 mg/dl are associated with larger cardiac size. We confirmed our data in a replicate analysis performed in a larger population (1,379 hypertensives) from an independent clinic. Our results demonstrate that sUA increases with LVMi, and a cutoff of 5.6 mg/dl predict larger LV sizes. Our data suggest that hyperuricemia might help to stratify the risk of larger cardiac size in hypertensives.

Food supply in the Mediterranean area has been recently modified by big retail distribution; for instance, industrial retail has favored shipments of groceries from regions that are intensive producers of mass food, generating a long supply chain (LSC) of food that opposes short supply chains (SSCs) that promote local food markets. However, the actual functional role of food retail and distribution in the determination of the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been studied hitherto. The main aim of this study was to test the effects of food chain length on the prevalence of MetS in a population accustomed to the Mediterranean diet. We conducted an observational study in Southern Italy on individuals adhering to the Mediterranean diet. We examined a total of 407 subjects (41% females) with an average age of 56 ± 14.5 years (as standard deviation) and found that being on the Mediterranean diet with a SSC significantly reduces the prevalence of MetS compared with the LSC (SSC: 19.65%, LSC: 31.46%; p: 0.007). Our data indicate for the first time that the length of food supply chain plays a key role in determining the risk of MetS in a population adhering to the Mediterranean diet.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency and increased cardiovascular risk (CVR) association is still debated. The vitamin D (VitD)-dependent parathyroid hormone (PTH) is considered as the possible actuator of VitD effects on CVR. To investigate the association of CVR, PTH and VitD, we carried out blood pressure measurements and blood samples and collected information on dietary habits, anamnestic, clinical and metabolic data of 451 participants in the Salerno area (Southern Italy) during the World Hypertension Day (17 May). CVR was calculated according to the Framingham CVR charts. The overall population mean age was 51.6 ± 0.7 years, and female sex was slightly prevalent (55%). VitD deficiency (

The introduction of fixed combination of ACEi+CCB (Fixed) has significantly increased patients compliance and adherence to therapy. At the moment, however, there are no data suggesting the better control of once-daily fixed (Fixed) over free doses in separate administrations combination therapy in hypertensives. In a population of 39 consecutive outpatient patients referred to the departmental Hypertension clinic of the University Hospital of Salerno Medical School with the first diagnosis of arterial hypertension, we tested the hypothesis that the Fixed achieve a better control of blood pressure than the Free combination. Patients were randomized to either strategy and after 3 months patients underwent a clinical assessment to evaluate the antihypertensive effect. The two groups, matched for anthropometric and clinical parameters, received Amlodipine (5–10 mg/daily) and Perindopril (5–10 mg/daily). Perindopril and Amlodipine doses did not significantly differ between the two groups. After 3 months BP control was improved in both groups and BP targets were similarly reached in both groups (SBP; Fixed: 61.54%; Free 69.23%; n.s. DPB; Fixed: 80.77%; Free 84.62%; n.s.). The reduction in systolic blood pressure was similar in both groups (Fixed:7.64±2.49%; Free: 7.81±4.00%, n.s.), while the reduction of diastolic blood pressure was greater in the Fixed group (Fixed: 14.22±2.03%; Free: 4.92±5.00%, p

Difficult-to-control (DTC) hypertension represents a burden in real life that can be partially solved through identification of the characteristics of clinical patterns and tailoring antihypertensive strategies, including ICT-enabled integrated care (ICT-IC). In the quest for clinical predictors of DTC hypertension, we screened 482 hypertensive patients who were consecutively referred to the departmental hypertension clinic. Following a data quality check, patients were divided into controlled (C, 49.37%) and uncontrolled (UC, 50.63%) groups based on their systolic blood pressure (BP) at follow-up. We then performed statistical analysis on the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound data and observed that older age, female sex, higher BP levels, and a family history of hypertension were predictors of DTC hypertension. We then developed a pilot service of ICT-IC, including weekly home visits by nurses and patient education on self-monitoring of BP, heart rate, body weight, and oxygen saturation using 3G-connected devices. Self-monitored data were transmitted to the hospital servers on the electronic chart of the patient for remote assessment by the hospital hypertension specialists. A total of 20 UC patients (M/F = 10/10; age: 72.04 ± 2.17 years) were enrolled to verify the efficacy of BP control without changes in medical treatment. After 1 month of the ICT-IC program, BP was reduced both at the office assessment (systolic BP (SBP): 162.40 ± 2.23 mm Hg, beginning of the program vs. 138.20 ± 4.26 mm Hg at 1 month, p < 0.01) and at home (SBP: 149.83 ± 3.44, beginning of the program vs. 134.16 ± 1.67 mm Hg at 1 month, p < 0.01). We concluded that DTC hypertension can be predicted based on the clinical characteristics at the first visit. For these patients, ICT-IC is a feasible therapeutic strategy to achieve BP control.

Introduction: Less than 40% of hypertensive on antihypertensive treatment have pressure Methods: To verify the impact of home care strategy to improve pressure control, from February 1 to March 31 2016 we selected patients who accessed the Outpatient Clinic for Hypertension at the AOU San Giovanni e Ruggi in Salerno, those with 1) poor BP control >140 and/or DBP>90 mmHg) after at least three follow-up visits in the last year, 2) optimal drug therapy, 3) poor adherence to therapy, 4) at least one concurrently treated chronic condition. Patients who signed informed consent received “Beyond Silos” home care program, including a weekly nurse access, for four weeks, and telemonitoring through 3G-connected devices of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and body weight measuring and Oxygen Saturation. Each patient was instructed to scheduled self-assesment of the above parameters that were stored on the Local Health Authority server of Salerno. Treatment compliance was verified weekly by the nurse through drug blister count. After 4 weeks, patients were evaluated at the hospital premises. Results: We selected seven patients (M/F=5/2; age 73.4 ± 2.3 years). In this population BP control that went from ambulatory SBP/DBP 155±5/74±4mmHg to 111±1.7/95.9±2.7mmHg, p Conclusion: Our data show that patients with a hitory of loose BP control despite optimal therapy can achieve controlled BP through Beyond Silos home care program within a month. This suggest that strategies of ICT based home care might represent a real breackthrough in the management of chronic conditions, in particular for multimorbid, poor compliant patients. Future large scale studies are needed for assessing long term effects on cardiovascular outcome.