Cardiology

General cardiology evaluates adult heart conditions, cardiovascular risk and ongoing treatment. This page is distinct from Pediatric Cardiology, which evaluates infants, children and adolescents. The receiving center confirms age eligibility and the appropriate specialist rather than assigning everyone to one age group. MPGCARE coordinates records and appointments at Medical Park and Liv Hospital in Türkiye; hospital physicians determine diagnosis and care.

A consultation, a diagnostic test and an invasive intervention are different steps. The tests below are examples selected according to symptoms, examination, risk and previous results; they are not an automatic heart-testing package.

Coronary disease, risk factors and rhythm disorders

Condition	Symptoms and points to discuss	Possible tests and management
Coronary artery disease and angina	Exertional chest discomfort or breathlessness; note triggers, duration and prior stents. New, persistent or resting chest pain needs urgent local assessment.	ECG, selected blood tests and, when appropriate, coronary CT or stress imaging; invasive angiography only for a clinical indication. Compare medicines, PCI/stent and surgical referral; a normal resting ECG alone does not exclude coronary disease.
Hypertension	Often has no symptoms. Bring dated home readings, medicines and kidney/sleep-related history; one reading does not define the full picture.	Repeated properly measured pressure or ambulatory monitoring; kidney function, electrolytes, urine, glucose/lipids and ECG selected as appropriate. Targets and medicines are individualized; severe symptoms with high pressure need urgent assessment.
High cholesterol and elevated cardiovascular risk	Usually silent; discuss family history of early heart disease, diabetes, smoking and previous results.	Lipid profile and overall risk assessment; selected glucose and secondary-cause tests. Lifestyle and medicines depend on risk and diagnosis; CT or angiography is not routine for every asymptomatic person.
Atrial fibrillation or flutter	Irregular/racing heartbeat, fatigue or breathlessness, sometimes without symptoms. Stroke signs or severe symptoms are urgent.	ECG, rhythm monitoring, echo and selected thyroid/electrolyte tests. Rate/rhythm treatment, cardioversion or ablation and stroke prevention are individualized; anticoagulants must not be stopped without advice.
Supraventricular tachycardia and other fast rhythms	Episodes of fast heartbeat; record timing, triggers, fainting and family history. A device reading is helpful but not a definitive diagnosis.	ECG during symptoms, Holter/event monitor and selected echo/tests. An electrophysiologist may assess medicine or catheter ablation; sustained symptoms with fainting/chest pain require urgent care.
Bradycardia and conduction disorders	Slow pulse, dizziness, exercise intolerance or fainting; report medicines that affect rate. A low pulse is not always disease.	ECG, ambulatory monitoring and selected reversible-cause tests. A pacemaker requires a specific indication, device-team confirmation and a long-term checking plan.

Heart function, valves, inflammation and congenital conditions

Condition	Symptoms and points to discuss	Possible tests and management
Heart failure	Breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance, swelling or difficulty lying flat; rapidly worsening breathing requires urgent care.	Echo, ECG, BNP/NT-proBNP and selected kidney/electrolyte tests or imaging. Treatment depends on cause and heart function; medicines, monitoring and rehabilitation are individualized, with specialist device/surgical referral when indicated.
Cardiomyopathies	Dilated, hypertrophic or other heart-muscle disease may cause breathlessness, palpitations or fainting. Family sudden-death history matters.	ECG, echo, selected cardiac MRI, rhythm monitoring and genetic counseling/testing when appropriate. Treatment, activity advice and family screening depend on type; advanced services require center confirmation.
Heart valve disease	Valve narrowing or leakage may cause breathlessness, chest symptoms, swelling or a murmur; symptoms and severity both matter.	Echo is central; transesophageal echo, CT, stress assessment or coronary tests only when useful. Monitoring, medicines, catheter procedures or surgical repair/replacement are discussed by the relevant Heart Team.
Myocarditis	Heart-muscle inflammation may follow an illness and cause chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness; acute symptoms need local assessment.	ECG, troponin/other targeted blood tests, echo and selected cardiac MRI; biopsy only in selected cases. The physician plans treatment, activity restriction and reassessment, not a generic return-to-sport date.
Pericarditis and pericardial effusion	Inflammation around the heart or fluid may cause chest pain or breathlessness. Severe breathlessness, fainting or rapid deterioration may be urgent.	ECG, echo, selected inflammatory/organ tests and CT/MRI if needed. Medicines are individualized; drainage is a separate procedure for selected indications, with its own risks and consent.
Congenital heart disease in adults	Adults with septal defects or prior childhood repairs may require lifelong specialist follow-up. General adult care alone may not cover a complex congenital condition.	Original diagnosis/operation records, echo and selected MRI/CT or catheter studies. Confirm an adult congenital heart disease specialist; pediatric-to-adult transition is planned according to the patient and center.

Adult or pediatric cardiology?

For an infant, child or adolescent, request pediatric cardiology and confirm the center’s accepted age range. Adults generally see an adult cardiologist; congenital disease may require an adult congenital specialist. Young-adult transition is not decided by a blanket marketing age cutoff. Cardiac surgery is a separate specialty, and interventional/electrophysiology services require their own specialist confirmation.

What We Do

The cardiologist reviews symptoms, examination, personal/family history, current medicines and previous results. Evaluation may lead to observation, risk-factor management or treatment, not automatically an intervention. Fainting also has noncardiac causes; symptom history, ECG and selected further tests guide referral.

Which heart tests do I need?

An ECG records electrical activity; an echocardiogram assesses structure, valves and function. Holter/event monitors capture intermittent rhythm problems; ambulatory pressure monitoring assesses pressure over time. Stress testing evaluates selected exercise/ischemia questions; CT/MRI answers selected anatomical or tissue questions. Coronary angiography is invasive. The physician chooses tests and explains contrast, radiation, sedation or procedural risks when relevant; no test rules out every heart disease.

Can existing reports support a consultation?

Yes, dated ECG, echo reports and available original images, rhythm/pressure recordings, CT/MRI/angiography DICOM, laboratory results and previous discharge/procedure reports can support an initial specialist review. Include symptoms, diagnoses, medicines/doses, allergies, implants, pregnancy possibility and kidney disease. MPGCARE confirms a secure channel and translation needs; the hospital decides if records are sufficient or need updating. Record review does not replace an examination when required.

Preparation and center confirmation

Confirm the named cardiologist, hospital, age scope and availability of any proposed test or intervention. Only the receiving team gives individual written fasting, medicine, contrast and sedation instructions; do not stop heart, anticoagulant or diabetes medicines yourself. Pregnancy, kidney problems and previous contrast reactions must be reported. Ask what the written clinical plan includes and who explains results and manages complications.

Follow-up, family support and travel

Obtain the diagnosis, medication plan, warning signs and test/review schedule. Agree who monitors blood pressure, rhythm, kidney/electrolyte results, anticoagulation or device checks in your country. The treating physician assesses travel fitness and accompanying-person needs; an airline may also require clearance. Caregiver and interpreter arrangements depend on the patient and center. No fixed visit count, cure or guaranteed result is promised.

When to seek urgent local care

New/persistent chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting with symptoms, sustained rapid heartbeat with chest pain or collapse, new weakness/speech difficulty, or rapid deterioration need urgent local medical assessment. Do not wait for MPGCARE, travel or a planned test. Stable symptoms and routine risk review can be scheduled after triage.

Contact MPGCARE to organize your existing records and request the appropriate cardiology specialist.

Request a specialist assessment

+90 850 259 5553

Medical information sources: NHLBI / NIH · American College of Cardiology · American Heart Association