Within the complicated and expansive field of cardiology, there are several experts, and experienced specialists saving lives every day. These specialists deal with critical situations routinely and help patients get an extended lease on life. However, not nearly as many are creating waves with their daring and confident abilities and skills for trying previously untried treatment options to save lives. Setting benchmarks within this field for the past 20 years is Dr. AM Thirugnanam, a senior interventional cardiologist, based in Hyderabad. With diverse experiences and expertise in treating critical condition patients, Dr. Thirugnanam has pioneered multiple cardiac treatments in his career, opening doors for other doctors to adopt new methods for saving their patients’ lives.


Interventional Cardiology Specialist

A globally-renowned interventional cardiology expert today, Dr. Thirugnanam’s journey into medicine did not always start with a solid plan to specialize in this field. Upon completing his early education at the Ashford Medical University, he felt himself naturally gravitating towards the field of cardiology through his MD, PhD, and fellowship years, leading him to specialize in this area. Drawn to the challenges and thrill that cardiology presented every single day, with every patient presenting a unique dilemma to be resolved, he sought to establish his practice in this field, choosing to help critical patients over come heart diseases in the most methodical and personalized way possible.

“Initially I did not have any intention to specialize in cardiology. However, during my MD, I experienced a lot of new challenges every day. It made me realize that in cardiology practice, no two days will be the same. Every day will bring a new challenge and thrill. Particularly in interventional cardiology. There are new complications, new diseases, new procedures, new treatment devices, and new research being unveiled every day. Because of this, when we have to treat patients, whether for major or minor treatments, every day we have to tailor our approach. Every day in the Cath-lab and ICCU is a new challenge, which means you do not get bored, and you always have to be on your toes to mitigate emergencies. This field requires quick and innovative thinking every day and that excited me a lot”, shares Dr. AM Thirugnanam.

Over the years, he has worked with several medical institutions including the Remedy Hospitals, Global Hospitals, Wockhardt Hospitals, Medicover Hospitals, Kamineni Hospitals, Lazarus Hospital, Virinchi Hospitals and more. Currently, he is associated with leading hospitals including TX Hospitals, Kamineni Hospital, Virinchi Hospitals, and Wockhardt Hospitals.

Developing Innovative Treatments

Although Dr. Thirugnanam has achieved several feats in his career over the past two decades as a leading interventional cardiologist, his reputation for developing innovative treatments has set him to be one of the most prominent members of his field globally. Over the course of his professional life, he has performed over 37900 procedures, saved over 151000 lives, and published more than 970 research papers and publications.

Within his stellar record of active patient care his achievement as the first doctor to perform the first left main coronary artery total occlusion angioplasty in the world stands out as a pioneering and revolutionary force. Not only was he globally awarded and recognized for this ingenious step, but his treatment methodology also inspired doctors across the world to perform the surgery on

their patients. For this innovative treatment methodology that he adopted, he was recognized by prestigious institutions such as the TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) in 2012 in Miami, Florida, where in he addressed the medical society and explained his treatment approach.

In another case before him in 2018, he performed the first retrograde carotid angioplasty on Left Common Carotid artery sub-total occlusion in a 23-year-old patient, again earning him world recognition and accolades at the CRT (Cardiovascular Research Technologies) Meeting held in 2020 at Washington, D.C. Taking on such rare treatment paths, not only did Dr. Thirugnanam inspire his peers, he also paved the way for advanced and improved coronary artery interventions.


“I have focused my efforts on providing the best care for my patients with the goal of prolonging their life with good quality and increasing their chances of survival. I have dedicated my career to improving my patients’ cardiac health and quality of life. This led me to develop new technologies and treatments for heart disease, which proved instrumental in the development of new drugs and devices to treat heart disease. My experience and knowledge in performing complex interventional procedures extend to include coronary angioplasty, stent implantation, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), percutaneous mitral valve repair, and many others”, further shares Dr. Thirugnanam.

Over the course of his professional life, he has performed over 37900 procedures, saved over 151000 lives, & published more than 970 research papers & publications

While certain cases have led him to develop new treatment paths, Dr. Thirugnanam’s general approach to the treatment of his patients is what truly sets him apart. A truly brilliant practitioner in the cardiac field, he understands the relationship between other medical conditions to the heart, making it a point to fully understand the patient’s medical history and condition before prescribing any treatment. Unlike other practitioners, he does not follow a ‘this ailment equals this treatment’ approach, rather, he tailors the treatments for every unique case, ensuring his patients get proper and thorough treatment. Educating the patients about their conditions and involving them in the decision-making processes regarding their treatments, he effectively communicates with the patients as well as the family to alleviate their worries while suggesting the best course of action, enabling him to foster strong doctor patient relationships.


Achievements & Recognitions

Dr. Thirugnanam’s contributions to his field have been immense, and immensely appreciated. He has revolutionized the field of interventional cardiology through his work and research. As a senior Interventional cardiologist, he has earned the reputation of a true leader in the field, having improved countless lives personally and by showing new treatments to the world. By dedicating his life to the service of his patients, he has been recognized as the Best Interventional Cardiologist in 2016. Before that, he was recognized as the Most Promising Interventional Cardiologist in India in 2014. He has also been recognized globally for his research papers, earning him several accolades such as the Best Research Scholar in Heart Failure Management, in 2009 at Washington, DC; Best Paper on TAVR and Cerebral Protection in 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, First Retrograde Carotid Angioplasty in 2020 at Washington DC, and many more.

Becoming an exemplary in the field of interventional cardiology, as Dr. Thirugnanam states, requires an interest and dedication towards lifelong learning. Reflecting on his own experiences and the practices that led him to become a leading senior cardiologist, he shares,

“Daily learning must be a part of every doctor’s routine. There is a lot of advancement in research happening all around us, which needs to be aware of. As doctors, being ethical is a primary requirement, however, to go from providing experienced care to extraordinary care, you must also be a researcher and daily learner. Becoming an exceptional doctor requires an attitude of consistent skill enhancement and avoiding ‘learning from mistakes’ because, in this field, mistakes and errors mean the death of the patient. An exceptional doctor is one whose goal is only to save lives and welfare of their patients”.

With a pioneering repute and an ever-learning zeal for his field, Dr. Thirugnanam has touched uncountable lives and is determined to improve countless more in the coming years.