[Management of outpatients with cardiac disease: follow-up timing and modalities]. / Gestione ambulatoriale del paziente di interesse cardiologico: ruolo del medico di medicina generale e del cardiologo, tra sostenibilità ed appropriatezza.

The increasing rate of cardiovascular diseases, the improved survival after the acute phase, the aging of the population and the implementation of primary prevention caused an exponential increase in outpatient cardiac performance, thereby making it difficult to maintain a balance between the citizen-patient request and the economic sustainability of the healthcare system. On the other side, the prescription of many diagnostic tests with a view to defensive medicine and the related growth of patients' expectations, has led several scientific societies to educational campaigns highlighting the concept that "less is more".The present document is aimed at providing the general practitioner with practical information about a prompt diagnosis of signs/symptoms (angina, dyspnea, palpitations, syncope) of the major cardiovascular diseases. It will also provide an overview about appropriate use of diagnostic exams (echocardiogram, stress test), about the appropriate timing of their execution, in order to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of the health system.

[Follow-up strategies after percutaneous coronary intervention: prognostic stratification and multidisciplinary management based on patient risk profile]. / Paziente sottoposto a rivascolarizzazione coronarica per via percutanea: percorsi di stratificazione prognostica e di gestione multidisciplinare in relazione al profilo di rischio.

The number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is increasing worldwide. Follow-up strategies after PCI are extremely heterogeneous and can greatly affect the cost of medical care. In the present paper, practical advises are provided with respect to a tailored follow-up strategy on the basis of patients' risk profile. Clinical and interventional cardiologists, cardiac rehabilitators, and general practitioners equally contributed to the creation of the present document and defined three follow-up strategies and types and timing of clinical and instrumental evaluations in post-PCI patients.