Dr. Nigar Hasanova

Dr. Nigar Hasanova is a senior consultant in emergency medicine at the Republican Clinical Hospital named after Academician M.A. Mirgasimov in Baku — one of Azerbaijan's foremost state clinical facilities and the country's primary national referral hospital for complex acute medical emergencies. With 14 years of emergency medicine experience, she is among Azerbaijan's most experienced emergency physicians.

Baku's rapid urbanisation and growth as a Caspian regional hub has increased demand for high-standard emergency care, and the Republican Clinical Hospital has invested significantly in its emergency department infrastructure and protocols. Dr. Hasanova trained in emergency medicine within Baku's hospital system and subsequently completed advanced emergency medicine training in Turkey at the Hacettepe University in Ankara — which has close academic relationships with Azerbaijani medical institutions — and obtained certification through the European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) framework.

She has been instrumental in updating the Republican Clinical Hospital's emergency protocols to align with European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines, including the adoption of systematic sepsis screening, standardised stroke protocols, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in emergency assessment. She trains junior physicians and emergency nursing staff in ACLS and ATLS protocols.

Dr. Hasanova graduated from the Azerbaijan Medical University in Baku in 2007. She completed emergency medicine specialty training at the Republican Clinical Hospital and undertook advanced training at Hacettepe University Hospital in Ankara, Turkey (2011–2012). She holds ACLS certification from the American Heart Association and certification through the European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) emergency medicine training framework. She has completed advanced trauma life support (ATLS) training and leads ACLS training sessions for her department.

Dr. Hasanova manages the full spectrum of acute emergency presentations in a high-volume urban emergency department. In cardiac emergencies, she manages acute ST-elevation MI (STEMI), providing thrombolysis where primary PCI is unavailable and coordinating rapid transfer to the cath lab for primary PCI. In neurological emergencies, she applies the Helsinki stroke model for rapid thrombolysis decision-making and coordinates neurology consultation.

In trauma, she follows ATLS protocols for primary survey, airway management including rapid sequence intubation (RSI), chest tube placement for pneumothorax and haemothorax, and coordination of trauma surgical teams. Her toxicology expertise is particularly relevant in a region where agricultural and industrial toxin exposures occur: she manages organophosphate poisoning, heavy metal toxicity, and medication overdoses. She is a trained POCUS operator and uses bedside ultrasound routinely for FAST exam, cardiac function assessment, and procedural guidance.

Dr. Hasanova consults in Azerbaijani, Russian, and English. As Baku has grown into a significant international business and tourism hub — particularly through oil and gas industry expatriates — the Republican Clinical Hospital sees an increasing number of international patients in its emergency department. English-speaking staff are available in the emergency unit. For non-emergency consultations and second opinions on complex acute illness management, video consultation is available.

Dr. Hasanova received the Azerbaijan Ministry of Health Award for Excellence in Emergency Care in 2021. She has contributed to the development of the National Azerbaijani Emergency Medicine protocols and has been invited to present at EUSEM annual congresses. She has published research on sepsis outcomes and stroke protocol implementation in Azerbaijan.