M.D. Mert Pehlivan Altın

I'm a 72-year-old retired engineer with a complex arrhythmia history that baffled three other cardiologists. Dr. Mert didn't just look at my charts—he spent 45 minutes asking about my daily habits, even how I felt climbing the stairs to my apartment. His approach was like solving an engineering puzzle: systematic, creative, and precise. He proposed a hybrid ablation procedure at Acibadem Maslak that others considered too risky. The surgery was flawless, and what truly amazed me was his follow-up. He personally called me at home twice during recovery, adjusting medications based on my reported symptoms. He treats medicine like an art form where the patient is the canvas.

Our 8-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect during a school physical. We were terrified, but Dr. Mert transformed our panic into confidence. He knelt to her eye level, explained her 'special heart tunnel' using cartoon drawings, and let her listen to his own heartbeat with his stethoscope. For the minimally invasive closure procedure, he coordinated with pediatric anesthesiologists in a way that felt like a symphony—every note planned. Post-op, he surprised her with a stuffed bear wearing a tiny 'heart hero' bandage. Six months later at our follow-up, he remembered her favorite color (purple) and had purple ultrasound gel ready. He doesn't just fix hearts; he heals families.

I'm a 42-year-old marathon runner who collapsed at the 35km mark of the Istanbul Marathon. Rushed to Acibadem Maslak's ER, I was met by Dr. Mert who was on emergency rotation. While others saw a simple case of dehydration, he noticed subtle EKG irregularities others missed. He diagnosed me with exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia—a silent condition I'd had for years. His emergency intervention was calm yet urgent, like a firefighter who knows exactly which beam to cut. What followed wasn't just medication; he designed a personalized 'cardiac re-training' program, working with my running coach to safely return me to racing. He turned my worst moment into a second chance at life.

As a 55-year-old with a family history of heart disease, I went to Dr. Mert for what I thought would be a routine cholesterol checkup. Instead, he conducted what he called a 'cardiovascular biography,' tracing not just my LDL numbers but how stress from my publishing job manifested physically. He discovered a previously undetected aortic valve murmur through a technique I'd never seen—having me squat and stand while listening. His recommendation wasn't medication first, but a tailored regimen of specific yoga breathing techniques to improve valve function, which we monitored through serial echocardiograms. At my 3-month follow-up, the murmur had significantly softened. He practices preventative cardiology like a master gardener—nurturing health before problems fully root.