Cardiology Department

In 1998, the Department began providing comprehensive services in the existing hospital building, with its inpatient units, coronary intensive care unit, outpatient clinics, and non-invasive cardiology laboratories. Its bed capacity was subsequently increased with the opening of the new inpatient block and coronary intensive care unit in 2001. Today, the Department has an 18-bed coronary intensive care unit, a 60-bed cardiology ward, 2 day-care beds, and a 12-bed post-angiography observation unit.

With its pioneering approach in interventional cardiology, the Department of Cardiology at Akdeniz University has become one of the leading centers in Türkiye where numerous interventional cardiology procedures were performed for the first time. The first transradial coronary stent implantation, the first unprotected left main coronary artery stent implantation, and the first coronary laser and brachytherapy procedures in Türkiye were performed in our Department. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) services continue to be provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with cardiac surgery stand-by support.

With the establishment of the electrophysiology laboratory in 2003, the Department evolved into a comprehensive center encompassing the essential components of modern cardiology services. Today, diagnostic and therapeutic services are provided using 3 coronary angiography and hemodynamics laboratories, 5 echocardiography machines, 2 exercise stress testing systems, 13 rhythm Holter monitors, 13 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring devices, and 1 tilt-table testing system.

Since its establishment, the Department has been chaired by Prof. Dr. Necmi Değer, Prof. Dr. Filiz Ersel Tüzüner, Prof. Dr. Oktay Sancaktar, Prof. Dr. Selim Yalçınkaya, Prof. Dr. Aytül Belgi Yıldırım, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Yılmaz, and Prof. Dr. İbrahim Demir. The Department is currently chaired by Prof. Dr. Aytül Belgi Yıldırım.

Initially providing services with one associate professor and two specialists, the Department currently continues its educational, research, and healthcare activities with an academic staff comprising 7 professors, 1 associate professor, and 2 faculty members holding the title of Doctor Lecturer. Since its establishment, 6 faculty members have retired.

The Department graduated its first cardiology specialist in 1997. As of September 2026, a total of 60 physicians have completed their cardiology residency training, while 22 residents are currently continuing their specialty training in cardiology.

The Department provides theoretical and practical cardiology training, delivered by faculty members, to third-year and fifth-year medical students as well as medical interns. In addition, cardiology residency training, scientific research activities, and healthcare services are carried out through an integrated approach in accordance with the requirements of contemporary cardiology education.