It was with great sadness that we learned of Prof Mario Marzilli passing away peacefully at home on 27 March 2026 after his arduous struggle with cancer.
Mario Marzilli graduated in medicine at the University of Pisa in 1971. He also completed his training in cardiology and diagnostic radiology at Pisa. He worked under Prof Luigi Donato and Prof Attilio Maseri in Pisa and spent time as an interventional fellow at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, US.
Prof Marzilli was Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) in Pisa, and Professor of Cardiology at the University of Siena, and later at the University of Pisa until his retirement in 2017.
Those who had the privilege of knowing Prof Marzilli personally will always remember his passion for advancing knowledge in cardiovascular medicine, his commitment to evidence-based management guidelines and his indefatigable fight against half-truths when dealing with the interpretation of clinical trial results. He had a brilliant analytical mind, great knowledge of coronary pathophysiology and a passion for education and clinical medicine.
He made major contributions to the understanding of ischaemic heart disease, myocardial ischaemia and coronary artery spasm. A devoted clinical practitioner and interventionist, Mario Marzilli always excelled in the cardiovascular field and was very much loved by his patients and colleagues. He mentored a host of young physicians who acknowledged him as a true cardiology master and will extend Mario’s amazing legacy.
Prof Marzilli – a giant of Cardiology – will be sorely missed by his family, friends, patients and the whole international cardiological community that he served so selflessly throughout his illustrious medical career.
Prof Juan Carlos Kaski
Editor-in-Chief, European Cardiology Review, on behalf of the European Cardiology Review team.