Dr. Stephan Windecker, MD, FESC

Stephan Windecker, MD, FESC, is an interventional cardiologist specialising in transcatheter valve therapy whose base is Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern in Bern, Switzerland and whose field is interventional cardiology and transcatheter heart valve therapy. The current appointment of Dr. Stephan Windecker is Chairman of the Department of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine.

Work in this area concentrates on transcatheter aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valve intervention; percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease; and evaluation of intracoronary devices and drug eluting stents. He is a recipient of the Career Achievement Award of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose and treat conditions of the heart and blood vessels. After a medical degree they complete general medical training, then several further years in cardiology and often a subspecialty fellowship. Dr. Stephan Windecker works in interventional cardiology and transcatheter heart valve therapy, which means that referrals tend to involve this area specifically.

Dr. Stephan Windecker At A Glance

Full Name And Credentials: Stephan Windecker, MD, FESC
Profession: Interventional cardiologist specialising in transcatheter valve therapy
Field Of Focus: Interventional cardiology and transcatheter heart valve therapy
Current Position: Chairman of the Department of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine
Institution: Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern
Location: Bern, Switzerland
Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting

Academic And Clinical Credentials Of Dr. Stephan Windecker

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

Undergraduate: University of Saarland School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
Medical Degree: MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Heidelberg, Germany
Residency: Internal medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Fellowship: General cardiology and interventional cardiology, University Hospital Bern
Fellowship: Cardiac electrophysiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Areas Of Expertise For Dr. Stephan Windecker

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Stephan Windecker as centred on:

Transcatheter aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valve intervention
Percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease
Evaluation of intracoronary devices and drug eluting stents
Antithrombotic therapy after intervention
Patent foramen ovale closure and anomalous coronary arteries

Institutional And Society Roles Of Dr. Stephan Windecker

Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at the Cardiovascular Center Bern, the largest tertiary cardiovascular care facility in Switzerland
Professor of Medicine and Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bern
President of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions from 2014 to 2016
Chair of the European Society of Cardiology Clinical Practice Guideline Committee from 2016 to 2020, overseeing the development of its guideline documents
Chair of the ESC Clinical Programme Committee from 2020 to 2022 and ESC Vice-President from 2022 to 2024
Secretary and Treasurer of the European Society of Cardiology through 2026
Co-chaired the 2014 ESC and EACTS guideline on myocardial revascularisation
Chaired the European Society of Cardiology task force on the evaluation of coronary stents, whose recommendations shaped new regulatory guidance
Former Editor in Chief of the PCR Textbook, handing over the role in May 2025
Associate editor for several cardiology journals

Recognition And Academic Standing Of Dr. Stephan Windecker

Career Achievement Award of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics, 2025
Simon Dack Award for Outstanding Reviewers, American College of Cardiology, 2020
I2-Summit Innovator Award, 2005
Recognised internationally for contributions to transcatheter heart valve interventions, intracoronary devices and antithrombotic therapy
A noted mentor of the next generation of interventional cardiologists and researchers

Dr. Stephan Windecker Institutional Affiliation

Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern

Bern, Switzerland. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

How Transcatheter Heart Valve Intervention Shapes Heart Care

Transcatheter valve therapy replaces or repairs a diseased heart valve without open surgery. A replacement aortic valve, folded inside a catheter, is guided up to the heart and expanded inside the old one. It was first offered only to patients too frail for an operation, and trials since have extended it to lower risk patients as well. The decision between a catheter procedure and surgery is made by a heart team of cardiologists and surgeons together, weighing age, anatomy, other illnesses and how long the valve is expected to last.

Related Transcatheter Heart Valve Intervention Specialists

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

Dr. Antonio Colombo, coronary stenting at Humanitas University, Humanitas Research Hospital and EMO GVM Centro Cuore Columbus
Dr. Deepak Bhatt, interventional cardiology at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dr. Gregg Stone, interventional cardiology trials at Mount Sinai Health System and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dr. Martin Leon, transcatheter valve therapy at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Making An Enquiry About Seeing Dr. Stephan Windecker

Dr. Stephan Windecker is an active clinical and interventional cardiologist, board certified in interventional cardiology with a focus on transcatheter heart valve procedures. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Common Questions About Dr. Stephan Windecker

What does Dr. Stephan Windecker specialise in?

Dr. Stephan Windecker is an interventional cardiologist specialising in transcatheter valve therapy whose work centres on interventional cardiology and transcatheter heart valve therapy. Particular areas of focus include transcatheter aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valve intervention; and percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease.

Where is Dr. Stephan Windecker based?

Dr. Stephan Windecker works at Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern in Bern, Switzerland.

Does Dr. Stephan Windecker see patients?

Yes. Dr. Stephan Windecker is an active clinical and interventional cardiologist, board certified in interventional cardiology with a focus on transcatheter heart valve procedures. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Stephan Windecker study?

MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Stephan Windecker?

Stephan Windecker, MD, FESC. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Stephan Windecker hold?

Dr. Stephan Windecker is Chairman of the Department of Cardiology and Professor of Medicine, based at Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern.

Source References For Dr. Stephan Windecker

Last Reviewed And Sourcing For Dr. Stephan Windecker

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Health Information Disclaimer For The Dr. Stephan Windecker Profile

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern Inselspital, and the University of Bern. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.

Dr. Stephan Windecker