IRCCS Maugeri

DEMPARTMENT OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION

The Maugeri Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation is one of Italy’s leading centres for cardiac rehabilitation, with nine operational units across the country. Patients with cardiovascular diseases are admitted to dedicated units to undergo individualised, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes designed to achieve clinical stabilisation, functional recovery, and recurrence prevention.

Cardiac rehabilitation is primarily indicated for patients recovering from acute cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, or hospitalisation due to unstable heart failure. However, it can also benefit individuals with chronic cardiovascular conditions prone to exacerbations, such as heart failure or peripheral arterial disease.

The rehabilitation process consists of several key phases:

• Prognostic stratification, assessing disease progression and defining therapeutic objectives.
• Clinical stabilisation, achieved through the optimisation of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy in accordance with international guidelines.
• Management of comorbidities, addressing coexisting conditions, which are particularly prevalent in elderly patients.
• Functional recovery, through physiotherapy and structured exercise programmes designed to enhance autonomy and physical capacity.
• Health education, including individual and group sessions focusing on lifestyle modification, physical activity, diet, weight management, lipid and blood pressure control, smoking cessation, and psychological support.

Extensive research has demonstrated the clinical efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation. In patients with
ischaemic heart disease, rehabilitation programmes reduce cardiovascular mortality, the risk of
myocardial infarction, and hospital readmissions. In patients with heart failure, rehabilitation has been associated with reduced hospitalisation rates, improved quality of life, and enhanced functional capacity.

Cardiac rehabilitation programmes are also designed for:

• Patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
• Individuals with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs).
• Patients who have undergone heart transplantation or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

The multidisciplinary team comprises cardiologists, physiotherapists, specialist nurses, psychologists, and dietitians, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated approach to patient management.

MOLECULAR CARDIOLOGY

The Maugeri Molecular Cardiology Unit in Pavia is a national and international reference centre for the diagnosis and management of genetic arrhythmogenic disorders. The medical team specialises in the assessment and treatment of:

• Long QT syndrome
• Brugada syndrome
• Short QT syndrome
• Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
• Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The research activities focus on the identification of novel genes associated with arrhythmogenic disorders and the development of targeted therapies aimed at correcting specific genetic defects.

The clinical activities include a comprehensive range of diagnostic assessments to evaluate the electrical and structural function of the heart, including:

• Electrocardiography (ECG)
• Holter monitoring
• Exercise stress testing
• Echocardiography
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

The genetic laboratory, equipped with state-of-the-art sequencing technologies, enables precise identification and interpretation of genetic variants associated with inherited arrhythmias.