Prof. Ahmet Kaya Bilge, MD

Prof. Ahmet Kaya Bilge, MD is a cardiologist in the Cardiology Department of Acibadem Atakent Hospital in İstanbul. With more than 32 years in medicine, his practice covers heart rhythm disorders, heart failure and coronary artery disease, and includes catheter-based procedures such as coronary angiography, catheter ablation, pacemaker implantation and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Dr. Bilge graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1994 and completed his specialty training in cardiology at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2002. He then continued his career at İstanbul University, working in cardiology as a specialist physician from 2001 to 2006, as an associate professor from 2006 to 2012, and as a professor from 2012 onward. In 2025 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. He is a member of the Turkish Cardiology Association and the European Cardiology Association.

Clinical focus

A significant part of Dr. Bilge’s work concerns arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation. Evaluation of an irregular, unusually fast or unusually slow heartbeat generally begins with a review of the patient’s symptoms and recordings of the heart’s electrical activity. Depending on the findings, options may range from medication to catheter ablation, in which a thin catheter is guided to the heart to treat the tissue responsible for the abnormal rhythm. For patients whose heart rate is too slow or whose rhythm is unstable, he also performs pacemaker implantation. The choice between these approaches depends on the type of arrhythmia, the patient’s overall condition and the results of the assessment.

Dr. Bilge also treats coronary artery disease and the atherosclerosis that underlies it, including angina and myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography is used in his practice to visualize the coronary arteries and to clarify the location and extent of any narrowing. He manages patients with heart failure, where treatment is typically directed at the underlying cause and at controlling symptoms over the longer term. In selected patients with narrowing of the aortic valve, he performs transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), a procedure in which a replacement valve is delivered through a catheter rather than through open surgery. Suitability for TAVI is determined on an individual basis after appropriate imaging and clinical assessment.

How Dr. Bilge works with international patients

Dr. Bilge consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, for example MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the available options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their case with Dr. Bilge before deciding whether to travel.