Written by P. Deepika, Content Writer, Healthcare Industry.

Medically reviewed by: Dr. K. Thiyagarajan, MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DM (Cardiology) · Tamil Nadu Last medically reviewed: 22 September 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026

Chest pain right now? Do not wait for this article. If you have chest pressure or pain with sweating, breathlessness, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back, call an ambulance immediately (108 or 112 in India) and go to the nearest hospital with 24-hour emergency care. Do not drive yourself.

Chest pain, tightness, unusual breathlessness or a heartbeat that suddenly feels “off” are not symptoms to wait out. Chennai is one of India’s busiest centres for cardiac care, with hospitals offering emergency heart care, cath labs, bypass and valve surgery, rhythm treatment and transplantation. The harder part is finding the best heart specialist hospital in Chennai for your own situation. This guide lists our editor’s choice plus ten more hospitals, each with a named cardiology expert whose public profile you can check, explains what each is known for, and ends with a practical checklist so you can decide based on your own condition, location and budget.

 

Quick answer: There is no single best heart specialist hospital in Chennai for everyone. For a first consultation, diagnosis and long-term heart care, choose a hospital with a qualified cardiologist close to home (for example Kanaga Hospital in Mangadu). For complex bypass, valve or rhythm procedures, look at hospitals with a 24-hour cath lab, cardiac ICU and surgical team, such as those compared in the table below

Why Chennai is a strong city for heart care

Chennai has a large concentration of super-speciality hospitals and respected academic centres such as the Institute of Cardiology at Madras Medical College, so patients can find specialists for almost every heart condition. Services commonly available across the city include diagnostic tests, cardiac surgery, electrophysiology, angioplasty, rotablation, heart transplant, pacemaker implantation and catheter ablation.

How we choose these hospitals (and our disclosure)

We looked at six things that matter to patients:

• A named, qualified cardiologist or cardiac surgeon. DM/DNB (Cardiology) or MCh, and a Tamil Nadu Medical Council registration wherever we could confirm it.
• Cardiac infrastructure. Cath lab, cardiac ICU, operation theatres and imaging.
• Range of treatment. From prevention and diagnosis to angioplasty, surgery and rhythm care.
• Emergency readiness. Round-the-clock emergency services for heart attacks and other critical conditions.
• Accreditation and transparency. NABH or similar recognition, and clear communication about costs.
• Location, languages, teleconsultation and insurance support.

Our disclosure

Kanaga Hospital is our own hospital. We list it first as editor’s choice and explain why, but we have tried to describe every other hospital fairly using its own website and public doctor profiles. No hospital paid to be included. Details were last checked on 21 October 2026. Doctors, phone numbers and services change, so please confirm with the hospital before you travel.

Editor’s Choice: Kanaga Hospital

Why we choose Kanaga Hospital as Editor’s Choice

Kanaga Hospital is a multispeciality hospital in Kovur, Mangadu, with more than 25 years of service to families in west Chennai. We place it first for a reason that is easy to miss in “top hospital” lists: heart disease rarely travels alone. Many people who come to us with chest discomfort also have diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney problems, and they do better when one team looks at the whole picture. The hospital follows a patient-centric approach, which means patient care comes first. Treatment options and costs are discussed openly before any procedure, so families can decide without pressure.

This multispeciality hospital has departments including cardiology, paediatrics, gynaecology, dermatology, urology, general surgery and ENT. If a patient has a critical illness or injury, emergency care is provided at the earliest.

Website: https://kanagahospitals.com/    Location: 7-131, Kundrathur Main Rd, Kovur, Mangadu, Chennai 600128

100000+ Happy Patients | 30+ Expert Doctors | 25+ years of healthcare experience

Cardiologist to know: Dr. K. Thiyagarajan

Dr. Thiyagarajan holds an MBBS (1997), MD in General Medicine (2006) and DM in Cardiology (2018), all from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, and is registered with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (Reg. No. 63591). He served as Assistant Professor at Madras Medical College from 2016 to 2025 and has more than two decades of experience in diabetes management and cardiac care. You can verify his profile on Practo.

When Kanaga is a good fit

• First consultation for chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations or dizziness.
• Blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes care alongside heart health, with regular follow-up.
• Echo (on call), X-ray, and 24-hour laboratory and pharmacy support under one roof.
• Emergency stabilisation at any hour before transfer, if you need a cath lab or surgery.

When a larger cardiac centre is the better choice

For complex bypass or valve surgery, transplantation or advanced rhythm procedures, a dedicated heart institute is the right place. In those cases we will tell you honestly and help with a referral to one of the centres below.

Medical procedures and support (original list)

• Angiography
• Electrophysiology
• Stress test
• Chest x-ray
• Blood tests
• Electrocardiogram
• Health check-ups and screenings

Diagnostic, infrastructure and other services

• Intensive care unit
• Comprehensive diagnostic facilities
• Modern medical equipment
• Radiology services
• In-house pharmacy

Emergency care

• Ambulances
• Stabilise patients
• Medical technicians
• Responding to emergency services
• Paramedics

To book a heart consultation, call +91 95001 35319 / 98402 96574 or message us on WhatsApp at +91 95662 56975.

Top 10 at a glance

#	Hospital (area)	Featured doctor	Best known for
★	Kanaga Hospital (Kovur, Mangadu)	Dr. K. Thiyagarajan, DM Cardiology	Whole-patient care: heart plus diabetes and BP, 24-hour emergency, transparent costs
1	Kumaran Hospitals	Dr. Thejaswi N. Marla, MCh (CTVS)	Beating-heart bypass, valve repair, minimally invasive and congenital heart surgery
2	Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University / Institute of Cardiology, MMC	Prof. Dr. V. Chockalingam	Academic cardiology, heart-attack prevention and public education
3	SIMS Hospital (Vadapalani)	Dr. K. Jai Shankar, DM	Interventional cardiology, rhythm (EP) and device therapy
4	Apollo Hospitals (Greams Road)	Dr. Karthigesan A M, FHRS	Pacing and electrophysiology, 3D-mapped ablation, leadless pacemakers
5	MGM Healthcare (Aminjikarai)	Dr. A. B. Gopalamurugan	Transcatheter valve (TAVR) and structural heart therapy
6	Kauvery Hospital (Alwarpet and other Chennai campuses)	Dr. K. P. Suresh Kumar, FACC, FESC	Clinical and preventive cardiology, heart failure, arrhythmia
7	Billroth Hospitals	Dr. S. Shanmuga Sundaram, DM	Angiography, angioplasty, pacemaker implantation
8	Gleneagles Global Health City (Perumbakkam)	Dr. Karthick Anjaneyan, DM	Coronary intervention, EP studies, congenital device closure
9	Vijaya Heart Foundation (Vadapalani)	Dr. C. G. Srinivas	Interventional cardiology: ASD closure, primary angioplasty, pacemakers
10	Medway Hospitals (Heart Institute, Kodambakkam)	Dr. Gnanavelu Ganesan, DM Cardiology	Interventional cardiology, angioplasty, bypass and valve care at a dedicated heart institute

The Top 10 in detail

1. Kumaran Hospitals: Dr. Thejaswi N. Marla (cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon)

Kumaran Hospital (Kilpauk) features among the hospitals Practo lists for cardiothoracic and vascular surgery in Chennai.

Dr. Thejaswi N. Marla trained at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (MBBS 2008, MS General Surgery 2013) and completed his MCh in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Christian Medical College, Vellore, in 2016. He is registered with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (Reg. No. 102875). Practo lists 18 years of overall experience and describes his focus as minimally invasive cardiac surgery, beating-heart bypass, valve repair and replacement, thoracic procedures and congenital heart surgery.

• Beating-heart coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• Valve repair and replacement
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
• Congenital heart surgery
• Thoracic procedures

2. Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University and the Institute of Cardiology, Madras Medical College: Prof. Dr. V. Chockalingam

Prof. Dr. V. Chockalingam is Professor Emeritus of Cardiology at The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University and a former Director of the Institute of Cardiology at Madras Medical College and Chief Cardiologist at the Government General Hospital, Chennai. According to the Madras Medical College Alumni Association, he won gold medals in Medicine and Cardiology and was the first to graduate with a DM in Cardiology from the college. He reports more than 52 years of practising and teaching cardiology and over 100 scientific papers, and has written books including “Cardiac X-rays”, “Mind Your Heart” and “Journey to a Hearty Health”.

He is especially known for teaching that lifestyle changes can prevent many heart attacks, which makes his work a good starting point for anyone focused on prevention.

3. SIMS Hospital: Dr. K. Jai Shankar (interventional cardiology and electrophysiology)

SIMS Hospital is a multispeciality hospital in Vadapalani, founded in 2012 and accredited by NABL and NABH, with the SRM group’s Institute of Cardiac Sciences. The institute has reported the first successful hybrid surgery for a complex aortic aneurysm and handles high-risk cardiovascular emergencies. Dr. K. Jai Shankar is Senior Director and Senior Consultant in Cardiology and Electrophysiology (MBBS, MD General Medicine, DM Cardiology). Trained at Stanley Medical College, G.B. Pant Hospital (New Delhi) and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (UK), he is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology and reports over 25 years of experience in coronary angioplasty and stenting, ablation for atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, 3D electroanatomical mapping, pacemaker, CRT and ICD implantation.

• Frozen elephant trunk and TAVR procedures
• Surgery for complex aortic aneurysm
• Cardiothoracic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery
• Valve repair and replacement
• Cath labs, cardiac theatres and ICUs

Emergency: +91 44 2000 2020 · Appointments: +91 44 2000 2001 (as listed on the hospital website).

4. Apollo Hospitals: Dr. Karthigesan A M (cardiac pacing and electrophysiology)

Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, was established in 1983 and is accredited by JCI and NABH. Its cardiac programme includes cath labs, cardiac critical care units, advanced cardiac imaging with CT, nuclear and MRI scans, and minimally invasive options such as TAVI and MitraClip for high-risk patients. Dr. Karthigesan A M (MBBS, MD, DNB General Medicine, DNB Cardiology, FHRS) specialises in heart rhythm problems. Apollo lists 12 years of experience and electrophysiology training or observerships at Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shanghai Chest Hospital. His work covers EP studies, RF ablation with 3D mapping, pacemaker, ICD and CRT implantation, leadless pacemakers and syncope evaluation.

• Treatment for coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy
• Coronary procedures such as calcified artery management and percutaneous coronary intervention
• Cardiothoracic surgery and transplantation
• Da Vinci robot for precision surgeries

5. MGM Healthcare: Dr. A. B. Gopalamurugan (interventional cardiology and TAVR)

MGM Healthcare, Aminjikarai, is a 400-bed quaternary care, NABH-accredited hospital with a green-building certification, a large ICU and 24-hour emergency care. Dr. A. B. Gopalamurugan is Senior Consultant in Interventional Cardiology and Electrophysiology and Director of TAVR, Endovascular Therapy and Device Therapy. MGM’s profile credits him with over 20 years of experience, and with 14 “first in India” and 4 “first in the world” heart treatments, including India’s first transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve replacements.

• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
• Multivessel and laser angioplasty
• Electrophysiology study and ablation for rhythm disorders
• Coronary artery bypass grafting and valve repair or replacement
• Cardiac rehabilitation programme

Emergency: +91 44 4200 4200 · Appointments: +91 44 4524 2407 (as listed on the hospital website).

6. Kauvery Hospital: Dr. K. P. Suresh Kumar (chief cardiologist)

Kauvery Hospital began in Trichy in 1999 as a 30-bed facility and now runs several campuses in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, including Alwarpet, Radial Road and Vadapalani in Chennai. Dr. K. P. Suresh Kumar, Chief Cardiologist (MBBS, MD General Medicine, DM Cardiology, FACC, FESC, FSCAI), is known for coronary artery disease care, heart failure, arrhythmia, hypertension and lipid control, and preventive cardiology. He has also written patient-friendly articles on heart attacks, heart failure and angiograms.

• Coronary artery bypass graft surgery and open heart surgery
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery and valve repair
• Echocardiography, treadmill test, Holter and ambulatory BP monitoring
• Cardiac cath lab and heart and lung transplant programme

Emergency (Chennai Alwarpet and Vadapalani): 044 4000 6000 (as listed on the hospital website).

7. Billroth Hospitals: Dr. S. Shanmuga Sundaram (senior interventional cardiologist)

Billroth Hospitals was founded in 1990 with 30 beds and has since grown into a multispeciality hospital with a patient-centric, transparent approach. It offers cardiology, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, hepatology and neurosciences, along with a cath lab, 2D echo, TMT and CT angiogram. The hospital is at 43, Lakshmi Talkies Road, Chennai 600030. Dr. S. Shanmuga Sundaram (MBBS, MD, DM Cardiology) is a Senior and Interventional Cardiologist whose listed expertise includes coronary angiography and angioplasty, peripheral angiography, carotid artery disease and pacemaker surgery. Billroth lists 43 years of experience and consultation hours of Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm.

• Open heart surgery and beating-heart surgery
• Heart valve surgeries and aortic valve surgery
• Cardiac catheterisation and Maze heart surgery
• Treatment for coronary heart disease and congenital heart disease

Emergency: 044 4027 4027 · Appointments: 72994 04040 / 95666 07100 (as listed on the hospital website).

8. Gleneagles Global Health City: Dr. Karthick Anjaneyan (cardiologist)

Gleneagles Global Health City in Perumbakkam is a NABH-accredited multispeciality hospital with a broad cardiac programme covering invasive, non-invasive and interventional cardiology, hybrid operating rooms, cardiac ICUs, advanced cath labs and 3D echocardiography. Dr. Karthick Anjaneyan (MBBS, MD General Medicine, DM Cardiology, all from Sri Ramachandra Medical College) is a consultant at the hospital and registered with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (Reg. No. 75355). Practo lists coronary angioplasty, electrophysiology studies, Holter monitoring, peripheral angiography, device closure for congenital heart disease and ventricular assist devices among his procedures.

• Coronary angioplasty and stenting
• Electrophysiology and arrhythmia management
• Coronary artery bypass grafting and heart valve repair or replacement
• Treatment for heart failure, cardiomyopathy and aortic dissection

9. Vijaya Heart Foundation: Dr. C. G. Srinivas (interventional cardiologist)

Vijaya Hospital has served Chennai since 1972 and was among the city’s first multispeciality hospitals. The Vijaya Heart Foundation, set up in 1996, focuses on cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, and reports tens of thousands of angiograms and thousands of coronary interventions. The hospital is on Arcot Road, Vadapalani, with a 24-hour emergency department. Dr. C. G. Srinivas (also spelled Sreenivas) is an interventional cardiologist who, according to public doctor directories, has worked at Vijaya Heart Foundation since 1996. His areas include primary and complex angioplasty, pacemaker and CRT implants, ASD closure, balloon mitral valvotomy and renal angioplasty.

• Beating-heart and valve surgeries
• Congenital heart surgeries
• Coronary interventions and coronary angiogram
• Master health check-up, laboratory and blood bank

10. Medway Hospitals: Dr. Gnanavelu Ganesan (interventional cardiologist)

Medway Hospitals was founded in 2012 in Chennai and now has more than 10 branches across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Its Medway Heart Institute in Kodambakkam focuses on cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, with cath labs, cardiac ICUs and modular operation theatres, and the group reports more than 12,000 cath lab procedures and cardiac surgeries.

Dr. Gnanavelu Ganesan (MBBS, MD, DM Cardiology, all from Madras Medical College; DM in 1996) is Advisor and Mentor in Interventional Cardiology at Medway Heart Institute, Kodambakkam. Over a long academic career he has served at Stanley Medical College and Madras Medical College, and as Professor of Cardiology at Government Kilpauk Medical College and Stanley Medical College. He is a member of the Cardiological Society of India, the Indian Medical Association, the Association of Physicians of India and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. Medway lists his expertise as cardioversion, valve procedures, cardiac ablation and carotid angioplasty and stenting.

• Angioplasty and stent placement
• Coronary artery bypass grafting
• Heart valve repair
• Vascular surgery
• Cardiac cath labs and cardiac ICUs

Helpline: +91 94557 94557 (as listed on the hospital website).

Also worth knowing

Other well-regarded heart centres in Chennai include MIOT International (Manapakkam), Prashanth Hospitals (Velachery), Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals (Chetpet), Dr. Kamakshi Memorial Hospital (Pallikaranai), Dr. Rela Institute & Medical Centre (Chromepet), Tambaram Medical Center, and Oxymed Hospital (Nandanam), which offers a non-surgical cardiac rehabilitation approach including EECP. We have not written full profiles for these because we have not yet listed a named cardiologist for each.

 

Heart tests and procedures in plain language

Test or procedure	What it is
ECG (electrocardiogram)	A painless recording of the heart’s electrical activity. Takes a few minutes and is often the first test for chest pain or palpitations.
Echocardiogram (echo)	An ultrasound of the heart that shows how well it pumps and whether the valves work properly.
TMT (treadmill test)	An ECG recorded while you walk on a treadmill, to see how your heart responds to effort.
Coronary angiogram	A thin tube and contrast dye with X-ray imaging to see blockages in the heart’s arteries.
CT coronary angiogram	A scan with contrast dye that shows the arteries without passing a tube into the heart.
Angioplasty and stent	A balloon opens a narrowed artery and a small mesh tube (stent) keeps it open. Done through a small puncture in the wrist or groin.
Bypass surgery (CABG)	A surgeon creates a new path for blood to flow around blocked arteries using a healthy vessel from elsewhere in the body.
Open-heart vs minimally invasive surgery	Open-heart surgery uses a larger chest incision, sometimes with a heart-lung machine. Minimally invasive surgery uses smaller cuts or catheters, and recovery is often faster, but it is not suitable for every patient.
TAVR / TAVI	Replacing a narrowed aortic valve through a catheter, without open-heart surgery. Often considered for patients who are at high risk with surgery.
Ablation, pacemaker, ICD, CRT	Treatments for heart rhythm problems: ablation treats the faulty circuit, a pacemaker keeps the rhythm steady, an ICD can shock a dangerous rhythm, and CRT helps both sides of a weak heart pump together.

 

Warning signs you should never ignore

• Chest pressure, tightness or pain lasting more than a few minutes or that comes and goes.
• Pain or discomfort spreading to the arm, shoulder, neck, jaw or back.
• Shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea or sudden light-headedness.
• Women, older adults and people with diabetes may have milder or unusual symptoms such as unusual fatigue, indigestion-like discomfort or breathlessness.

If you notice these signs, call an ambulance (108 or 112) and go to a hospital with 24-hour emergency care. Do not drive yourself. Follow the ambulance team’s or emergency doctor’s instructions about any medicines such as aspirin.

Our emergency care team is available 24 hours a day.

How to choose the right heart hospital

A short checklist you can use for any hospital, including ours:

• Check the doctor. Look for DM or DNB (Cardiology) or MCh, and confirm registration on the Tamil Nadu Medical Council register.
• Ask about emergency readiness. Is the cath lab available 24 hours? Is there a cardiac ICU? How is a heart attack patient handled on arrival?
• Match the hospital to your need. A first consultation is different from bypass surgery or ablation. Choose the specialist, not just the biggest name.
• Ask for costs in writing. Request a package estimate, what it includes and excludes, and whether cashless insurance is accepted.
• Think about distance. In a heart attack, the nearest hospital with emergency care matters more than the most famous one.
• Get a second opinion before major surgery. A good cardiologist will welcome it.

For more on this, read our guides on the best multispeciality hospitals in Chennai and how to choose a multispeciality hospital.

Protect your heart: five habits that matter

• Do not smoke, and avoid tobacco in any form.
• Check blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol regularly, especially if heart disease runs in your family. South Asians tend to develop heart disease at younger ages than many other populations.
• Aim for regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for 150 minutes a week, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
• Eat more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, pulses and nuts, and less salt, sugar and deep-fried food.
• Keep diabetes under control. Our internal medicine and diabetology team works closely with cardiology.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which are the best heart hospitals in Chennai?

The right hospital depends on your condition. For a first consultation or long-term care, a qualified cardiologist near you may be the best choice. For complex surgery or rhythm treatment, choose a hospital with a 24-hour cath lab, cardiac ICU and an experienced surgical team. This guide compares ten options.

2. How do I choose a cardiologist in Chennai?

Check qualifications (DM or DNB in Cardiology, or MCh for surgeons) and confirm the doctor’s registration with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council. Ask how many procedures like yours they perform, and whether you can bring your reports for a second opinion.

3. What is the difference between a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon?

A cardiologist diagnoses and treats heart disease with medicines and catheter-based procedures such as angioplasty. A cardiac surgeon operates on the heart, for example bypass or valve surgery. Many patients see both.

4. What are minimally invasive cardiac procedures?

They treat heart problems through small cuts or catheters instead of opening the entire breastbone. Recovery is often faster, but suitability depends on the condition.

5. What is open-heart surgery?

It is surgery performed on the heart muscle, arteries or valves, usually through the chest, to bypass blocked arteries, repair or replace valves, or correct congenital defects.

6. What services do the best cardiology hospitals provide?

Advanced diagnostics, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, rhythm management, rehabilitation, and 24-hour emergency and critical care.

7. What tests will I need on my first heart visit?

Most doctors start with a history, blood pressure check and ECG. Depending on your symptoms, they may add an echo, treadmill test, blood tests, or a CT or conventional angiogram.

8. How much does heart surgery or angioplasty cost in Chennai?

Costs vary widely by hospital, room type, implants used and your condition. Ask for a written package estimate that lists what is included, and check whether your insurance or government scheme is accepted.

9. When should I go to the emergency room for chest pain?

Go immediately if pain lasts more than a few minutes or comes with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. Call 108 or 112 rather than driving yourself.

Conclusion

Chennai gives you excellent choices for heart care. The best one for you is the hospital with the right doctor, the right equipment and a team that explains your options honestly. If you are unsure where to begin, start with a consultation: we will review your symptoms and reports, tell you what is needed, and refer you to a larger centre when that is the right call. Book an appointment or meet our specialist team.