Dr. Ali Al Ekri

Dr. Ali Al Ekri is a senior consultant cardiologist and interventional specialist at Salmaniya Medical Complex — Bahrain's largest and most comprehensive public hospital and the principal tertiary care center for the Kingdom. With 20 years of cardiology practice, Dr. Al Ekri is one of Bahrain's most experienced interventional cardiologists, managing both the acute cardiac emergencies that define primary PCI and the complex elective coronary and structural disease that requires planned catheterization laboratory intervention.

Bahrain's relatively small land area and concentrated population mean that Salmaniya's cardiac catheterization laboratory serves as the primary center for acute MI intervention for the entire kingdom. Dr. Al Ekri plays a central role in maintaining the 24-hour primary PCI program that has significantly improved STEMI outcomes in Bahrain, and trains junior cardiologists in catheter-based techniques.

His cardiology practice also encompasses echocardiographic assessment, heart failure management, and the evaluation of valvular heart disease — coordinating with cardiac surgery colleagues at the BDF (Bahrain Defence Force) Royal Medical Services Hospital for surgical referrals. He manages cardiogenic shock with intra-aortic balloon pump support and has contributed to Bahrain's growing critical cardiac care capabilities.

Dr. Al Ekri trained in the United Kingdom and holds the FRCP designation. He is an active member of the Gulf Heart Association and the Bahrain Medical Society cardiac section. He communicates in Arabic and English.

Dr. Al Ekri obtained his MBBS from the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain and completed Internal Medicine residency at Salmaniya Medical Complex. He undertook Cardiology fellowship training in the United Kingdom, earning his FRCP following rotations at Leeds General Infirmary and the Yorkshire Heart Centre. He completed an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at the same center and subsequently undertook additional structural heart disease training. He holds the FACC (Fellow of the American College of Cardiology) and the Bahrain Medical Council board certification in Cardiology.

Dr. Al Ekri's interventional cardiology practice covers primary PCI for STEMI, elective PCI for complex multivessel coronary artery disease, and percutaneous valve assessment in coordination with structural heart colleagues. He performs diagnostic coronary angiography, left ventriculography, and right heart catheterization for hemodynamic assessment. He manages cardiogenic shock with IABP and escalation protocols. His echocardiography practice includes comprehensive transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography for valve disease, cardiomyopathy, and perioperative assessment. He manages heart failure with optimized guideline-directed therapy and coordinates device therapy evaluation.

Dr. Al Ekri has published in the Bahrain Medical Bulletin, Gulf Heart Association Journal, and International Journal of Cardiology on STEMI outcomes in Bahrain, coronary disease risk factors, and cardiac rehabilitation. He participates in the Gulf HEART registry and presents at the Bahrain Medical Society cardiac symposium and the Gulf Heart Association annual conference.

Salmaniya Medical Complex serves Bahrain's domestic population as well as the kingdom's large South Asian, Arab, and Western expatriate communities. Bahrain's geographic position and ease of travel from Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province mean that many patients from across the Gulf region seek specialist cardiac care in Manama. Dr. Al Ekri consults in Arabic and English — enabling effective communication with both Gulf Arab and English-speaking international patients.

Video consultations are available for cardiac second opinions, ECG review, and echocardiography report assessment for patients from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and other neighboring Gulf states considering cardiology care in Bahrain. Patients from the broader Arab world who prefer specialist cardiac assessment in a Gulf healthcare environment may also contact the Salmaniya cardiology outpatient clinic for appointment coordination.

Dr. Al Ekri has received the Bahrain Medical Society Excellence in Cardiology Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to cardiac care in the Kingdom of Bahrain over two decades. He has received recognition from Salmaniya Medical Complex for his leadership in developing and sustaining the primary PCI program — a program that has materially reduced mortality for Bahraini STEMI patients by providing rapid catheterization laboratory access.

He serves on the Bahrain National Heart Program steering committee, helping to shape national cardiovascular health policy and prevention strategy. He is a faculty member at Gulf Heart Association educational workshops, teaching interventional cardiology techniques and acute cardiac care to Gulf region cardiologists. He participates in the Gulf HEART registry, contributing to evidence generation on cardiovascular outcomes across the Arabian Gulf.