Clinical Cardiology and Heart Failure

Director: Manlio Cipriani

The clinical and diagnostic activity is carried out on a hospital admission (inpatient and DH) and outpatient basis.

Main diseases

  • Acute and chronic heart failure in all forms of left and right ventricular dysfunction
  • Advanced heart failure
  • Refractory/end-stage heart failure (continuous/repeated inotropic supportive therapy – Levosimendan – palliative therapies)
  • Primitive and post-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy
  • Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathies
  • Rare and hereditary cardiomyopathies
  • Infiltrative cardiomyopathies, cardiac amyloidosis
  • Acute and chronic pericarditis
  • Heart transplant; eligibility, management of complications
  • Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) eligibility, management of complications
  • Type 2 pulmonary arterial hypertension

The Unit works in close collaboration with the  Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology units and, using a modern multidisciplinary approach, collaborates to treat complex heart diseases with all ISMETT specialties, integrating expertise and advanced treatments for end-stage organ diseases with the most modern cardiology therapies.

The Unit provides the most modern diagnostic techniques of integrated heart imaging, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac MRI, cardiac and coronary CT, cardiac scintigraphy, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and invasive assessments (right and left cardiac catheterization, endomyocardial biopsy).

The Unit also attends national and international clinical and experimental research programs, collaborating with the most prestigious Italian cardiology and cardiac surgery scientific societies, and is part of the cardiology network of state-approved research hospitals (IRCCS), promoting training and tutoring of young cardiologists hosting residents from Italian postgraduate schools.

The partnership with UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) allows an ongoing cultural and scientific exchange with one of the most important U.S. cardiology centers.

Medical Staff:

-Dr. Manlio Cipriani

-Dr. Cesar Hernandez Baravoglia

-Dr. Alessandra Fontana

-Dr. Simona Leone

-Dr. Alessandra Carvelli

-Dr. Giovanni Di Stefano

-Dr. Rita Laura Borrello

-Dr. Paolo Manca

-Dr. Vincenzo Nuzzi

-Dr. Massimiliano Mulè

-Dr. Eluisa La Franca

-Dr. Francesco Clemenza (Consultant)

-Dr. Sergio Marino (Consultant)

Coordinators:

-Margaret Messina (Patient Care Coordinator)

-Rosaria Segreto (Transplant Coordinator)

-Patrizia Corrado (Patient Coordinator)

-Franca Bondì  (Patient Coordinator)

Secretary:

-Nadia Arena