Nalan Karadağ, MD

Nalan Karadağ, MD is a cardiologist at Acibadem Altunizade Hospital in İstanbul, where she works in the Cardiology Department. Her subspecialty is cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, and her clinical work also covers the assessment and management of a range of cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation and heart valve disease. In her practice, she combines the evaluation of the underlying heart condition with attention to the patient’s broader cardiovascular risk, including obesity where relevant.

Dr. Karadağ studied medicine at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine between 1994 and 2000. She then completed her specialty education in cardiology at İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 2005. Following her cardiology training, she worked at Tekirdağ Özel Yaşam Hospital from 2005 to 2006 and at Göztepe Şafak Hospital from 2006 to 2007, before joining Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2007. She is a member of the İstanbul Medical Chamber.

Clinical focus

A central part of Dr. Karadağ’s work is cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, a structured, supervised program intended to support patients with heart and lung conditions in gradually improving their physical capacity and managing their condition. She also assesses and treats patients with heart failure, coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, as well as myocarditis, an inflammatory condition of the heart muscle.

Her areas of expertise further include heart valve disease, among them aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation and rheumatic heart disease. In addition, Dr. Karadağ addresses obesity as a factor in cardiovascular health. The specific approach for each patient depends on the diagnosis, the findings of the clinical examination and the results of any existing or newly requested tests; treatment options are discussed with the patient after this evaluation.

How Dr. Karadağ works with international patients

Dr. Karadağ 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 echocardiography or other ultrasound reports, MRI, CT and X-ray 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 possible options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation with Dr. Karadağ before deciding whether to travel, or to follow up after a visit; whether a video consultation is appropriate depends on the individual case and the records available for review.