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I can confirm that that usage is also common in Italian, but not only to show exasperation. It's a way to "boost" the emotional connection between the speakers and emphasize a sentence. It's a way to say "Pay attention to what I'm saying now" or "What I'm saying is particularly important".

Compare all these usages that could be used in Italian, translated into an equivalent English sentence (I cannot say if the same exact emotional meaning is conveyed, though. I hope you get the point anyway).

A high-school teacher to a worried parent, in a "soothing", almost joyful tone:

***Listen, Mr.Bianchi, I know you are worried about your son, but I think he will pass the exam. He is smarter than he looks.***


A medical doctor to a scared patient, with a grave but supporting tone:

***You are scared, Ms.Rossi, and that's understandable. The operation is a difficult one, but I'll assure you Dr.Neri is the best surgeon in this field and she has done this successfully dozens of times.***

A friend during a party in a playful tone:

***Come on, Laura, ask him out! I know him, he's not one of those guys who think women asking men out are sluts!***

A company manager to a subordinate employee in a stern tone:

***I'm sorry, Silvio, I can somewhat understand your point of view, but your behavior was completely inappropriate for a work environment.***

A mother to a 10yo child who's being pouty:

***OK, Mario, stop it now. I know you want to go out and play with Luigi, but it's already 8 o'clock in the evening and dinner is almost ready. Say no to Luigi and go wash your hands.***

A football (that is "soccer" for USA people ;-) coach to a player during the interval in a compelling tone:

***They are getting dangerous, Giulio, so I want you to stick to that number 10 like a stamp to a letter.***

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As an aside, I think there is also some kind of marketing practice 
exploiting this "emotional connection" effect. I often find that telemarketers and commercial call-center operators keep on repeating your name in almost any sentence (sometimes so much to be ridiculous):

&mdash; *What can I do for you, Mr.Roberto?*

&mdash; *I'd like to file a complaint for that laptop I purchased yesterday.*

&mdash; *I'm sorry, Mr.Roberto. What was wrong with that?*

&mdash; *There was no charger in the box.*

&mdash; *I understand, Mr.Roberto. Is this a big problem for you?*

&mdash; *Sure! I can't power up the laptop!*

&mdash; *That's really inconvenient, Mr.Roberto. May we be of any help?*

&mdash; *Yes! I need the power supply!*

&mdash; *I see, Mr.Roberto. Would you accept a partial refund for the item?*

&mdash; *No! You don't understand. The laptop is useless without its charger. I need one!*

&mdash; *Ah, that's unfortunate, Mr.Roberto, we don't sell any.*

(Does this fictional dialogue reminds you of something?)