Dr. Karen Sliwa, Heart Disease In Pregnancy in Cape Town

Dr. Karen Sliwa-Hahnle, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, FAHA, DTM&H

Karen Sliwa-Hahnle, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, FAHA, DTM&H, is a cardiologist specialising in heart disease in pregnancy at University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT Private Academic Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa and a leading figure in heart disease in pregnancy and cardiovascular disease in Africa. She holds the position of Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cape Heart Institute.

Dr. Karen Sliwa was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003 and to a full professorship in 2009, before joining the University of Cape Town on 1 March 2010 as Professor of Cardiovascular Research and Director of the Hatter Institute, succeeding Lionel Opie. Among the honours held by Dr. Karen Sliwa is the Paul Morawitz Award of the German Cardiac Society for Exceptional Cardiovascular Research.

A cardiologist is a physician, not a surgeon: the work is diagnosis, medical treatment and catheter based procedures rather than open operations. Qualification takes a medical degree, general medical training and several years of cardiology specialisation. The particular area of practice for Dr. Karen Sliwa is heart disease in pregnancy and cardiovascular disease in Africa.

Dr. Karen Sliwa Credentials And Affiliation Details

Full Name And Credentials: Karen Sliwa-Hahnle, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, FAHA, DTM&H
Profession: Cardiologist specialising in heart disease in pregnancy
Field Of Focus: Heart disease in pregnancy and cardiovascular disease in Africa
Current Position: Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cape Heart Institute
Institution: University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT Private Academic Hospital
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
Previous Appointments: Was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003 and to a full professorship in 2009, before joining the University of Cape Town on 1 March 2010 as Professor of Cardiovascular Research and Director of the Hatter Institute, succeeding Lionel Opie

Dr. Karen Sliwa Education And Medical Qualifications

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

Medical Degree: Medicine, Free University of Berlin, 1990
Diploma: Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, University of the Witwatersrand, 1995
Specialty Qualification: Qualified as a specialist physician in 1997 and subsequently as a cardiologist
Doctorate: PhD
Training: Trained as a physician and cardiologist across several countries, including India, the Philippines, Israel and Scotland

Areas Of Expertise For Dr. Karen Sliwa

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Karen Sliwa as centred on:

Peripartum cardiomyopathy and heart disease in pregnancy
Cardiomyopathies and heart failure in Africa
Rheumatic heart disease
The effect of HIV on the heart
Pulmonary hypertension
Cardiovascular risk surveillance in African populations

Leadership Positions Held By Dr. Karen Sliwa

Director of the Cape Heart Institute, formerly the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa, which has grown under her leadership to more than one hundred staff
Professor of Cardiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town
Past President of the World Heart Federation, and the first woman and the first person from Africa elected to that role
Leads the Cardiac Disease in Maternity and Heart of Africa research groups at the Cape Heart Institute
Founded the Heart of Soweto study with Simon Stewart, and extended it as the Heart of Africa study across eight African sites
Leads the European Observational Research Programme working group on peripartum cardiomyopathy of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology
Holds an honorary research appointment at the Population Health Research Institute in Hamilton, Canada
Editorial consultant to The Lancet and a member of several editorial boards

Awards And Scientific Contributions Of Dr. Karen Sliwa

Paul Morawitz Award of the German Cardiac Society for Exceptional Cardiovascular Research, 2013
Honorary Doctorate of the University Paris Diderot-Sorbonne, 2017
Geoffrey Rose award of the European Society of Cardiology
Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government Lifetime Award, 2015
Delivered the Academy of Medical Sciences and Lancet International Health Lecture in 2016
Author of more than one hundred and eighty articles
Her research established much of what is known about the causes and treatment of peripartum cardiomyopathy, a condition that kills African mothers
Her collaborations have brought major international research funding to African cardiovascular science

Base And Affiliation Details For Dr. Karen Sliwa

University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT Private Academic Hospital

Cape Town, South Africa. 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.

The Role Of Heart Disease In Pregnancy In Cardiology Today

Simple and cheap interventions can carry a disproportionate share of the benefit in cardiovascular care. A fixed dose combination tablet containing several preventive drugs improves the odds that people actually take them; a text message programme can improve cholesterol, blood pressure and weight after a heart attack; task shifting lets trained non-physician health workers run blood pressure programmes where doctors are scarce. The value of this work is not novelty but reach, and the evidence behind it comes from properly randomised trials.

Further Specialists Working In Heart Disease In Pregnancy

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

Dr. Salim Yusuf, global cardiovascular epidemiology at McMaster University and the Population Health Research Institute
Dr. Sonia Anand, vascular medicine and population health at McMaster University, the Population Health Research Institute and Hamilton Health Sciences
Dr. Clara Chow, cardiovascular prevention and digital health at University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital and the Western Sydney Local Health District
Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, preventive cardiology and public health at Public Health Foundation of India

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Scheduling Notes For Dr. Karen Sliwa

Dr. Karen Sliwa is a senior cardiologist in the Division of Cardiology at Groote Schuur Hospital and at UCT Private Academic Hospital. 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.

Dr. Karen Sliwa Frequently Asked Questions

What did Dr. Karen Sliwa study?

Medicine, Free University of Berlin, 1990. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Karen Sliwa?

Karen Sliwa-Hahnle, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, FAHA, DTM&H. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Karen Sliwa hold?

Dr. Karen Sliwa is Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Cape Heart Institute, based at University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT Private Academic Hospital.

What is Heart Disease In Pregnancy?

Heart Disease In Pregnancy is the area of cardiology concerned with heart disease in pregnancy and cardiovascular disease in Africa. Cardiologists working in it, including Dr. Karen Sliwa, diagnose and treat these conditions and carry out the research that sets the standard of care for them.

Has Dr. Karen Sliwa received professional recognition?

Yes. Paul Morawitz Award of the German Cardiac Society for Exceptional Cardiovascular Research, 2013. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Does Dr. Karen Sliwa hold leadership roles in the field?

Yes. Director of the Cape Heart Institute, formerly the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa, which has grown under her leadership to more than one hundred staff. A fuller list of appointments appears above.

Verified Sources For Dr. Karen Sliwa

Review Status Of This Dr. Karen Sliwa Profile

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.

Update note: Was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003 and to a full professorship in 2009, before joining the University of Cape Town on 1 March 2010 as Professor of Cardiovascular Research and Director of the Hatter Institute, succeeding Lionel Opie.

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

Heart Health Information Notice For Dr. Karen Sliwa

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT Private Academic Hospital. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.

Dr. Karen Sliwa