Dr. Artan Ruka

Dr. Artan Ruka is a neurologist at the University Hospital Centre Mother Teresa (QSUT) in Tirana, Albania's leading academic hospital. With 17 years of clinical neurology practice, he has developed expertise in stroke management, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Ruka completed a neurology fellowship at the University of Bologna in Italy, where he trained in stroke unit management and the latest evidence-based approaches to MS treatment. Italy's close ties with Albania — the two countries share only the Strait of Otranto — have made it a natural training destination for Albanian physicians.

He returned to Albania where he has been instrumental in establishing a stroke protocol at QSUT and in developing MS treatment services. He introduced thrombolysis for eligible acute ischemic stroke patients, significantly improving outcomes for Albanians presenting with stroke.

Dr. Ruka is an EAN member and participates in regional Balkan neurology educational networks. He is known for his commitment to evidence-based neurology and for his accessible communication with patients and families.

Dr. Ruka obtained his MD from the University of Medicine Tirana in 2004, graduating with distinction from Albania's leading medical faculty. He completed his neurology residency at QSUT, the national referral centre, gaining broad training across the spectrum of neurological disease from acute stroke to chronic neurological conditions.

He undertook a neurology fellowship at the University of Bologna, Italy (2009–2010), specializing in stroke unit management and multiple sclerosis — one of Italy's strongest neurology programmes. His PhD from the University of Medicine Tirana in 2013 focused on stroke outcomes and thrombolysis safety in the Albanian population, representing a significant contribution to understanding stroke care in the Balkan region. He is a member of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and is certified by the Albanian Medical Association in neurology.

Dr. Ruka's clinical expertise covers stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and migraine. In stroke care, he leads thrombolysis decisions for acute ischemic stroke and manages secondary stroke prevention. In epilepsy, he evaluates seizure disorders and prescribes antiepileptic drug therapy with EEG monitoring. In MS, he prescribes and monitors disease-modifying therapies and manages relapses. He performs EEG, EMG, nerve conduction studies, and lumbar puncture, and provides comprehensive outpatient neurology care.

Dr. Ruka has published over 14 peer-reviewed articles in Albanian and Italian neurology journals. His research focuses on stroke epidemiology and thrombolysis safety in Albania, MS disease burden in the Albanian population, and neurology service development in a resource-limited setting. He collaborates with neurologists in Italy and participates in EAN educational programs and Balkan neurology networks.

Dr. Ruka speaks Albanian, Italian, and English, making him highly accessible to patients from Albania's large diaspora communities in Italy, Switzerland, the UK, and Germany who return to Tirana for neurological assessment or ongoing MS monitoring. QSUT coordinates international patient neurology consultations through its outpatient appointment system.

Video consultations are available for neurological second opinions and MS medication monitoring follow-up, which is particularly valuable for diaspora patients who have started disease-modifying therapy in Albania and relocated abroad. Dr. Ruka provides neurology guidance to diaspora patients and assists with facilitating referrals to Italian neurology centers for conditions requiring more advanced electrophysiological investigation or complex neuroimaging not available in Albania. His Italian fluency enables seamless communication with Italian neurology colleagues for joint case management.

Dr. Ruka received the Albanian Society of Neurology Award for Clinical Excellence in 2018, recognizing his outstanding contributions to neurological care in Albania. He was recognized by QSUT's clinical leadership for his leadership in establishing the stroke thrombolysis protocol — a landmark achievement for Albanian neurology that has materially improved outcomes for stroke patients presenting to the national referral centre.

He has received recognition from the European Academy of Neurology for his contributions to neurology service development in Albania and his participation in Balkan neurology collaborative networks. He serves on the Albanian Society of Neurology educational committee and has been instrumental in organizing national neurology continuing medical education events that raise clinical standards for neurologists across Albania.

Dr. Dr. Artan Ruka welcomes international patients seeking specialist consultation. Consultations are available in person and may be arranged via telemedicine for remote patients. The practice can provide guidance on required documentation and coordinate care with referring physicians.