Snapshot Highlights
- Associate Professor at a leading Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital
- Expertise in advanced echocardiographic assessment
- Significant contributions to research in heart failure and pulmonary hypertension
- Active member of prestigious European cardiology societies
- Published author in multiple peer-reviewed cardiovascular journals
Dr. SENA HARD SUGAR
Professional Experience
Dr. Sena Hard Sugar brings over a decade of dedicated clinical experience in cardiology, with a strong focus on heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Her career highlights include significant contributions at the Dr. Siyami Ersek Chest Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, where she served in the Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Department and the Pulmonary Hypertension Department from 2019 to 2024. Prior to this, she was affiliated with Acıbadem Atakent Hospital from 2013 to 2022, and completed her compulsory service at Çerkezköy State Hospital from 2017 to 2019. She is currently contributing her expertise to Acıbadem Health Group as of 2024.
Education and Advanced Training
Dr. Hard Sugar’s academic foundation is built upon her graduation from the esteemed Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty in 2012. She further honed her skills by completing her Cardiology specialization at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine in 2017. Demonstrating a commitment to international best practices, she received advanced echocardiographic assessment training at the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences at the University of Padua, Italy, in 2016. Her academic standing was further elevated with an Associate Professorship at the Dr. Siyami Ersek Chest Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, in 2023.
Professional Memberships and Affiliations
Dr. Hard Sugar is an engaged member of several influential cardiovascular professional organizations. Her affiliations include the Turkish Cardiology Society, specifically within the Pulmonary Vascular Diseases and Adult Congenital Heart Disease working groups. She is also a member of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) and the Working Group on Heart Failure at the European Society of Cardiology. Her leadership potential is recognized through her election as a nucleus member for the Working Group on Pulmonary Circulation and Right Ventricular Function at the European Society of Cardiology. She is also associated with the Heart Imagers of Tomorrow Association (HIT).
Research and Publications
Dr. Hard Sugar has made significant contributions to cardiovascular research, with numerous publications in respected medical journals. Her published works explore critical areas such as the prognostic value of various cardiac markers in heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, including the cardiohepatic syndrome, TAPSE/PASP ratio, and right atrial contractile strain. She has also investigated the impact of modern therapies, like angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, on conditions such as erectile dysfunction in heart failure. Her research extends to challenging clinical scenarios, including management of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in aortic valve neocuspidization (Ozaki procedure) and understanding alterations in right ventricular mechanics in complex conditions like Behcet’s disease. Her commitment to advancing medical knowledge is evident in her published studies on mortality predictors in pulmonary arterial hypertension and the management of heart failure associated with genetic mutations.