Villa Stuart Private Clinic

Cardiology

The cardiology service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Integrated Cardiology Center

A single center, three specialist pathways for your heart health

The Integrated Cardiology Center at Villa Stuart offers solutions dedicated to cardiovascular diagnosis, prevention, and follow-up, with a multidisciplinary approach built around the individual.

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Cardiology is the medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. Villa Stuart’s cardiology department, through a multidisciplinary approach that combines highly qualified professionals with state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, provides:

  • PRIMARY PREVENTION CARDIOLOGICAL CHECK-UPS:
    identification and management of cardiovascular risk factors for the development of cardiac pathologies, detection of any unknown diseases, and cardiovascular risk stratification.
  • PREOPERATIVE CARDIOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS:
    evaluation of the patient's cardiovascular system, with optimization of pre- and postoperative therapy to minimize any intra- and postoperative complications and recovery times following surgical treatment.
  • HYPERTENSION CENTER:
    a pathway that includes an in-depth analysis, performed by a highly specialized team, aimed at the early identification of any silent or borderline hypertensive forms, often unrecognized and diagnosed only through the detection, during routine check-ups, of complications produced by them. The objective is early detection of the condition and timely restoration of hemodynamic balance through the initiation of diagnostic-therapeutic pathways.
  • ARRHYTHMOLOGY AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY EVALUATIONS:
    identification, monitoring, and treatment of heart rhythm disorders through a non-invasive approach aimed at determining the best diagnostic-therapeutic algorithm for resolving the problem or identifying possible causes.
PATHOLOGIES
  • Coronary artery disease: a group of conditions characterized by narrowing (stenosis) or complete obstruction of one or more coronary arteries, the vessels responsible for the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart, caused by plaque accumulation or the formation of cholesterol plaques. They may be asymptomatic (silent) or may manifest through chest pain (angina pectoris) or acute myocardial infarction.
  • Valvular heart disease: a group of congenital or acquired conditions consisting of the malfunction of one of the four cardiac valves, responsible for controlling blood flow.
  • Cardiomyopathies: primary diseases of the cardiac muscle that reduce its functional efficiency by compromising the heart's ability to pump blood.
    The main forms are:
    - Dilated: the cardiac chamber, usually the left ventricle, dilates and therefore loses the ability to contract efficiently during cardiac contraction
    - Arrhythmogenic: the progressive replacement of the myocardium, predominantly the right ventricle, with adipose or fibro-adipose tissue causes ventricular arrhythmias
    - Hypertrophic: abnormal thickening (hypertrophy) of the left ventricle with consequent loss of elasticity and decreased filling capacity
    - Restrictive: rigid ventricles and poorly elastic walls that prevent proper filling with blood during cardiac contraction
  • Cardiac arrhythmias: These are disorders of cardiac rhythm or rate. They are predominantly harmless although in some cases they may prevent the heart from filling adequately, resulting in inefficient cardiac output and consequent poor blood supply and damage to various organs (brain, heart, kidneys, etc.).
    Arrhythmias may be:
    - hyperkinetic, such as atrial fibrillation and paroxysmal tachycardias
    - hypokinetic, such as symptomatic bradycardias and blocks of the cardiac conduction system

Cardiac diagnostics is the set of specialist examinations, instrumental tests and laboratory tests aimed at assessing the health status of the heart and cardiovascular system.

Instrumental examinations:

  • CT Coronary Angiography: a non-invasive radiological examination that generates high-definition images of the coronary arteries. It allows, with rapid execution times and minimized radiation dose, visualization of the coronary tree and identification of any alterations of the vessel walls (atherosclerotic plaques, stenosis or anomalies). Among the main functions are the study of anomalies of origin and course of the main arterial and venous vessels of the heart, assessment of the patency of any previously implanted stents and bypasses, characterization of the morphology of detected plaque and quantification of the presence of coronary calcium (Calcium Score values);
  • Color Doppler Echocardiogram: a non-invasive diagnostic examination that uses ultrasound to visualize, in real time, the structure, function and blood flow of the heart. It allows the study of the geometry of the cardiac chambers, the global and segmental contractile capacity of the heart, flow measurements and assessment of the pericardial status;
  • Cycle ergometer / ergometric stress test: a cardiovascular test consisting of continuous recording by electrocardiogram (ECG) during controlled physical exertion of gradual intensity. In this way cardiac activity is stimulated in a controlled manner and the continuous ECG evaluates the behavior of heart rate, atrioventricular conduction and any atrial or ventricular arrhythmias or coronary artery disease;
  • 24-hour Blood Pressure Monitoring: A non-invasive diagnostic test that records blood pressure values continuously for 24 hours. Through the application of a portable device, ambulatory blood pressure monitor, blood pressure is measured every 15-30 minutes for 24 hours, including during the night, automatically recording fluctuations in order to assess possible hypertension, the effectiveness of therapies and pressure variations due to daily activities;
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG): a non-invasive diagnostic examination that records the electrical activity of the heart. With the application of adhesive electrodes on the chest, wrists and ankles, which detect the cardiac electrical frequency, it is possible to assess the amplitude and duration of the electrical potentials generated by the cardiac cycle, evaluate its rhythm, frequency and structural integrity;
  • Holter dynamic electrocardiogram: a non-invasive diagnostic examination that monitors and records the electrical activity of the heart continuously, usually for 24 hours (up to 7 days) to identify any abnormalities in cardiac rhythm and rate, both during the day and at night. An integral part of the test is the patient's notation in a diary of any altered perceptions to allow correlation of symptoms experienced by the patient with alterations in the recorded ECG tracing;
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram (with multiplane probe): a second-level diagnostic examination that uses ultrasound, transmitted by a probe introduced into the esophagus, to obtain high-resolution images of cardiac structures. Exploiting the anatomical proximity between the esophagus and the heart, it allows detailed visualization of structures and morphological and functional study of atria, ventricles and valves;
  • Microbubble test or Bubble test: A rapid and risk-free ultrasound examination used to diagnose a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is a defect in the cardiac septum that allows abnormal communication between the right and left heart. The examination consists of injecting a saline solution into a vein in the arm and then evaluating the abnormal passage of air bubbles from the right side to the left side of the heart using an echocardiograph or by monitoring the middle cerebral artery with a transcranial color Doppler. The number of microbubbles recorded is an indicator of the severity of the defect;
  • Pacemaker (PMK) and automatic defibrillator (ICD) monitoring: A rapid and non-invasive biannual or annual outpatient procedure to check the status of the device battery, monitor the recorded electrical parameters, and evaluate the correct functioning of the implanted device. Using an external programmer connected via telemetry to the device, the cardiac electrophysiologist downloads and analyzes all recorded diagnostic information and, where necessary, optimizes the programming to adapt the device's operation to clinical evolution or ongoing therapies. ;
  • Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET): A non-invasive examination that evaluates the integration of the heart, lungs, and metabolism under exertion. Using a face mask (for gas analysis) and an electrocardiogram, it provides an extremely precise snapshot of the physiological response to exercise, thus quantifying maximum oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) to assess the integrated energy efficiency of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems.

A specialist cardiac evaluation is recommended for:

  • Preventive check-up
  • Presence of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath (dyspnea), fainting (syncope), dizziness or palpitations
  • Presence of risk factors: high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, smoking or family history of cardiovascular diseases

The Villa Stuart Clinic is affiliated with major insurance companies and supplementary health care funds.

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For information and bookings

Monday / Friday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM / Saturday 8:00 AM – 7:30 PM

06 35528500

Emergency service

Service available 24 hours a day

800.118.166

Cardiology

Team

Dr. Marina Polacco

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

Prof. Leonardo Calò

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

Dr. Stefano Lino

Surgeon

Specialized in cardiology

Prof. Elena Cavarretta

Surgeon

Specialist in cardiac surgery - cardiology

Dr. Piera Ciaramella

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

Dr. Federico Ballatore

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

Dr. Ilaria Papisca

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

Dr. Giulia Greco

Surgeon

Specialist in Cardiology

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