The incidence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has significantly decreased. Conversely, the rate of non-STEMI (NSTEMI) has increased. Patients with NSTEMI have lower short-term mortality compared to patients with STEMI, whereas at long-term follow-up, the mortality becomes comparable. This might be due to the differences in baseline characteristics, including older age and a greater prevalence of comorbidities in the NSTEMI population. Although antithrombotic strategies used in patients with NSTEMI have been well studied in clinical trials and updated guidelines are available, patterns of use and outcomes in clinical practice are less well described. Thus, a panel of Italian cardiology experts assembled under the auspices of the "Campania NSTEMI Study Group" for comprehensive discussion and consensus development to provide practical recommendations, for both clinical and interventional cardiologists, regarding optimal management of antithrombotic therapy in patients with NSTEMI. This position article presents and discusses various clinical scenarios in patients with NSTEMI or unstable angina, including special subsets (eg, patients aged ≥85 years, patients with chronic renal disease or previous cerebrovascular events, and patients requiring triple therapy or long-term antithrombotic therapy), with the panel recommendations being provided for each scenario.
Percutaneous mitral valve repair with the MitraClip system recently emerged as a viable and less invasive therapeutic option in patients with severe mitral regurgitation deemed to be high-risk surgical candidates. Mitral valve morphology and geometry features are key elements for MitraClip eligibility. In the setting of functional mitral regurgitation, the presence of a leaflet coaptation gap due to advanced left ventricle remodeling can be a potential exclusion criterion for MitraClip therapy. In this article, the authors present a case of successful MitraClip implantation in a patient with severe functional mitral regurgitation and a significant coaptation gap. Periprocedural and intraoperative pharmacological and anesthesiological management were fundamental for successful grasping and procedural success.
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