DISEASES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEMSModule Cardiovascular diseases
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: DAVIDE FRANCESCO MARIA CAPODANNOExpected Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, students are expected to:
· Describe the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of major cardiovascular diseases.
· Interpret common clinical signs and test results.
· Outline preventive and therapeutic strategies.
At the end of the module, the student will understand the clinical spectrum of cardiovascular diseases and principles of evidence-based management.Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndromes
Heart failure: classification and management
Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias
Hypertension: diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment
Valvular heart diseases
Myocarditis and pericarditis
Cardiomyopathies
Pulmonary embolism
Risk stratification and prevention
Textbook Information
Harrison's principles of internal medicine, 22nd edition. McGraw Hill.
Any additional educational material (slides, videos, handouts, etc.) will be distributed or indicated during the lessons.Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Students may refer to the recommended textbooks to identify the correspondence between the topics covered in the syllabus and the relevant chapters. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The final assessment of acquired knowledge is conducted by an oral exam. The grade is expressed on a scale of thirty, up to a maximum of 30/30 cum laude (with honors). The final grade is determined by the weighted average of the scores obtained in the course subjects.
The oral examination consists of an interview during which questions will cover at least three different topics from the course curriculum. The assessments aim to evaluate: i) the level of knowledge in the disciplines; ii) the ability to apply this knowledge to solve specific problems related to the disciplines (autonomous problem-solving); iii) clarity of expression; iv) proficiency in medical-scientific language. The assessment of learning can also be conducted remotely if the conditions necessitate it.
For the assignment of the final grade, the following parameters will be considered:
· Score 29-30 with honors: The student demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of the topics, promptly and correctly integrates and critically analyzes presented situations, independently solving even highly complex problems. They possess excellent communication skills and command medical-scientific language proficiently.
· Score 26-28: The student has a good understanding of the topics, is able to integrate and critically and logically analyze presented situations, can fairly independently solve complex problems, and presents topics clearly using appropriate medical-scientific language.
· Score 22-25: The student has a fair understanding of the topics, although it may be limited to the main areas. They can integrate and critically analyze presented situations, although not always in a linear fashion, and present topics fairly clearly with moderate language proficiency.
· Score 18-21: The student has minimal knowledge of the topics, possesses modest ability to integrate and critically analyze presented situations, and presents topics sufficiently clearly, although their language proficiency may be underdeveloped.
Exam not passed: The student lacks the minimum required knowledge of the core content of the course. Their ability to use specific language is minimal or nonexistent, and they are unable to independently apply acquired knowledge.Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
What is the clinical presentation of STEMI?
How is ejection fraction used in heart failure classification?
What are the criteria for anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation?
How is aortic stenosis diagnosed?
What are the main cardiovascular risk factors?