Interview with prof. Gianfranco Parati, Scientific Director of the IRCCS, Italian Auxological Institute of Milan
di Laura d'Ettole
AICARM extends and is structured by involving several territorial offices, from Florence to Milan, to Naples with the aim of building an Italian network specialized in Cardiomyopathies, able to offer diagnoses, therapeutic responses and services aimed at the patient. From Milan, Prof. Gianfranco Parati, Scientific Director of the Auxological Institute, as well as Director of the Department of Cardiology and Honorary Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Milan-Bicocca, explains the stages and aims of the project.
Professor, what are the objectives of the project you are carrying out with AICARM?
Prof. Gianfranco Parati
The significance of this initiative, now at a very advanced stage of implementation, is to expand the possibility of offering a service to patients suffering from cardiomyopathies in Lombardy, in collaboration with similar consolidated structures in Florence and Naples. In this sense, we are developing a protocol that we will sign shortly. We think of a multi-site center with a team that works in the network to provide diagnosis, assistance, information on cardiomyopathies. The centers of Florence, Naples and Milan will also have to collaborate in scientific research projects to better understand these diseases which, as we know, are sometimes not recognized and can be responsible for cardiac arrest.
Could you provide us with some data or an estimate on the incidence of cardiomyopathies at a national level?
There are different types of cardiomyopathy, which are distinguished both by the different shape that the heart takes as cavity size and wall thickness, and by genetic cause. In total, it is estimated that about 5 in 1000 people are affected. The most frequent is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, present in at least 2 per thousand of the general population of all nations in which studies have been carried out for its evaluation. Dilated, arrhythmogenic and restrictive cardiomyopathy are more variable. For example, in Veneto arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy seems more frequent than in other regions, while in some African nations a restrictive form seems more frequent.
The quality and high scientific specialization of this emerging network is very evident, but what are the services reserved for the patient?
In our country there are many associations for people suffering from chronic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases or generic associations for cardiological or haematological patients. We can say that the need to build such a structure arises precisely when chronic diseases exist and the need for greater interaction between doctor and patient becomes apparent. In this sense, the spaces for intervention that open up are enormous: from the spread of a culture of prevention throughout the territory, to real courses for families to teach the use of life-saving devices such as the automatic external defibrillator (AED) and many others. things still. Our health system does a lot in this regard but it cannot do everything and it is there that Associations such as AICARM are fundamental.
Describe the Milanese stages of the project
At the IRCCS, Italian Auxological Institute of Milan, currently at the S. Luca Hospital, a Center dedicated to Cardiomyopathies already exists and is operating, with a group of doctors specialized in diagnosis, tests, and therapies at various levels.
The Center must provide highly specialized assistance to patients with these diseases but also collect the data relating to each patient in a single container and analyze them for research purposes, publications, participation in conferences: in a word, to circulate this knowledge (" know how ") in the scientific world. The individual centers affiliated with AICARM will be able to exchange this knowledge and information to offer the patient a real protection network.
For those who come to our facilities it is particularly important to have a constant and regular "follow up" over time, by expert doctors. This is a universe in constant movement from a therapeutic and surgical point of view, and AICARM represents a connection point that facilitates communication between doctor and patient.
Upcoming events?
A course in October for experienced patients in the first place. But then we have scheduled meetings with the population for education and communication purposes and next January a conference for doctors and cardiologists. It is important to “disseminate culture” to recognize diseases in which early diagnosis is crucial, that is, when the pathology shows the first symptoms but is not yet striking, and to propose appropriate therapies, to be shared with the affected patient. This dissemination of knowledge can save and above all improve the quality of life of many people.