In the small town where I was born, every death was announced through the loudspeakers of the mosque and municipality building. The age of the deceased and the cause of death would spread quickly, almost at the speed of sound. If the person was among the town’s elders, people were saddened yet composed, traditional laments were recited, and prayers such as “May death come in its rightful order” were offered. But if the deceased was younger or middle-aged—especially leaving behind young children—the grief grew heavier, and the laments turned into cries of sorrow.

Although death, at any age, always felt cold to my young mind, the deeper sadness expressed for younger individuals made me think. The circumstances of their passing were dramatized, discussed for several days. One of the observations that intrigued me the most was hearing that someone had suddenly died of a heart attack, or that a person who had suffered a heart attack, been hospitalized, discharged, and sent home, would have their funeral announcement made again only weeks later. What struck me further was that many of these individuals were middle-aged people who might still be considered relatively young.

My curiosity about biology and other sciences from early childhood, coupled with an observant nature toward the world around me, led me to pursue a medical education. With this intention, I began my studies at Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, partly because it allowed me to remain close to my family.

Once in medical school, the topic that fascinated me the most was the process known as “atherosclerosis,” which leads to heart attacks. It was the cause behind the early deaths and heart attacks I had heard and seen growing up. Even more interesting was that patients who had heart attacks could now be treated immediately—either with clot-dissolving medication or by opening the blocked artery through balloon angioplasty performed during angiography. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to pursue. Even as a third-year medical student, I was determined to become a cardiologist capable of performing angiography—what we now refer to as an interventional cardiologist. The path required specialization, so I began preparing for the national specialty exam (TUS) early on and, on my first attempt, gained admission to the Cardiology Department at Istanbul Çapa Medical Faculty.

Throughout my residency, my primary area of interest remained vascular diseases associated with atherosclerosis. From the earliest stages of plaque formation to the eventual evolution into a full heart attack, every step of diagnosis and treatment became my main focus. I was also fortunate to have a mentor who encouraged me to write my thesis on hypertension caused by renal artery stenosis due to atherosclerosis. This allowed me to deeply understand every variation of hypertension—one of the most significant risk factors for coronary artery blockage—and to witness patients whose blood pressure normalized or whose need for dialysis was delayed after opening narrowed renal arteries.

Another transformative realization was understanding that not only heart attacks but also strokes, heart failure, many kidney diseases requiring dialysis, gangrene in the legs, and even erectile dysfunction in men could stem from atherosclerosis. Seeing that early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance/diabetes could prevent heart attacks and strokes at young ages—and allow people to live longer, healthier lives—became my core motivation for working in this field.

By then, the risk of heart attacks in high-risk individuals could be reduced—and what’s more, even patients who had already suffered a heart attack could live comfortably for many years. It became clear that not only diagnosing and treating atherosclerosis, but predicting—almost like an artificial intelligence algorithm—who would develop it in the future, was becoming possible. Scientific advances around the world were closely followed by Turkish physicians, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were applied to patients. Yet something still felt incomplete: not enough people were being reached. Hardly a day passed without hearing that a relative, acquaintance, or a well-known public figure had suffered a heart attack at a young age. Tragically, many of these cases ended in sudden death.

This is exactly why I decided to create this platform. After nearly 30 years of examining and treating patients at every stage of atherosclerosis, heart attack, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart failure, and stroke, I realized that sharing my experience could help people build their own awareness. My goal is to communicate a simple yet vital truth to as many people as possible: heart attacks, strokes, and sudden cardiac death can be predicted—and prevented—before they occur.

Professional Milestones

• 2001: Completed my thesis on identifying the most effective diagnostic method for hypertension caused by atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and became a certified specialist.
• 2001–2003: Practiced as a cardiology specialist at various private hospitals in Istanbul and Gebze.
• 2003–2005: Served as an interventional and clinical cardiologist at the American Hospital.
• 2005–2006: Completed compulsory military service as a medical officer (First Lieutenant, MD) at Istanbul GATA Hospital.
• 2006–present: Returned to the American Hospital, where I continue my professional practice. During this period:
  • 2009: Served on the team that performed Türkiye’s first TAVI procedure, replacing the aortic valve through the groin without open-heart surgery.
  • 2010: Took part in Türkiye’s first MitraClip procedure to treat mitral valve regurgitation.
  • Performed countless primary PTCA procedures, opening blocked arteries with balloon angioplasty in patients presenting with acute heart attacks.
  • Conducted numerous complex angioplasty and stent procedures to open critically narrowed coronary arteries.
  • Successfully performed renal denervation in patients with resistant and uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Managed diagnostic and therapeutic approaches aimed at eliminating risk factors—such as hypertension, insulin resistance/diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking—to prevent atherosclerosis-related diseases.

“Doctor, I have two small children—you saved them from growing up without a father. I swear to God, every morning for the rest of my life, the first thing I will do when I wake up is pray for you.”

We often struggle to comprehend the consequences of events we have not personally experienced. The words above—from the wife of a young man whose heart stopped nearly 50 times during a heart attack, whom we revived repeatedly with defibrillation before opening his blocked artery with angioplasty—deeply expanded my awareness not just as a physician but as a human being.

Our lives are not limited to ourselves; they are connected to our families, children, friends, communities, and all of humanity. Through the insights and information shared on this platform, perhaps you too will experience the fulfillment of positively influencing your own life—or the life of your partner, friend, or someone you know. You may come to see that helping a single person can touch an entire family, a community, or a generation.

With health, love, and peace,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alp Aslan Eryılmaz