Sara Tabtabai
she/her/hers
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
The Effect of a Best Practice Advisory on the Utilization and Impact of Palliative Care Consultation in Heart Failure Hospitalizations
Gooding K, Naraparaju V, Esstman B, Wakefield D, Evjen M, Naseer A, Tabtabai S. The Effect of a Best Practice Advisory on the Utilization and Impact of Palliative Care Consultation in Heart Failure Hospitalizations. Palliative Medicine Reports 2025, 6: 179-186. PMID: 40308711, PMCID: PMC12040558, DOI: 10.1089/pmr.2024.0106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPalliative care consultationPalliative care consultation groupLength of stayCare consultationAcute decompensated heart failureImpact of palliative care consultationReadmission ratesBest practice advisoryGoals of carePractice alertMedian length of stayClinician biasPractice advisoryAdmitted PatientsElectronic recordsWhite patientsAcute decompensated heart failure admissionsDecompensated heart failureLow ejection fractionHeart failure hospitalizationRe-HospitalizationAdmissionReadmissionConsultationEjection fractionElectronic health record nudges to optimize guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure
Fuery M, Clark K, Sikand N, Tabtabai S, Sen S, Wilson F, Desai N, Ahmad T, Samsky M. Electronic health record nudges to optimize guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure. Heart Failure Reviews 2025, 30: 771-776. PMID: 40106122, DOI: 10.1007/s10741-025-10503-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsElectronic health recordsClinical decision supportGuideline-directed medical therapyPotential of electronic health recordsElectronic health record systemsDiverse healthcare settingsGDMT adherenceCare qualityClinician workflowHealth recordsAlert contentHF careHealthcare settingsPatient careInformed treatment decisionsTargeted alertingQuality gapEnhanced usabilityImprove heart failureHeart failureDecision supportReal-timeCareTreatment decisionsAlerting strategy
2024
Cardiovascular Care in the United States Penny Wise and Pound Foolish
Ahmad T, Desai N, Tabtabai S. Cardiovascular Care in the United States Penny Wise and Pound Foolish. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2024, 84: 694-695. PMID: 39142722, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2024.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWHEN ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CLINICS GO WRONG; STRONG MUSCLES, WEAK HEART AND A CASE OF ANABOLIC STEROID ASSOCIATED CARDIOMYOPATHY
Gooding K, Pillai A, Tabtabai S. WHEN ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CLINICS GO WRONG; STRONG MUSCLES, WEAK HEART AND A CASE OF ANABOLIC STEROID ASSOCIATED CARDIOMYOPATHY. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2024, 83: 3240. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(24)05230-6.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Understanding the Burden of 30-Day Readmission in Patients With Both Primary and Secondary Diagnoses of Heart Failure: Causes, Timing, and Impact of Co-Morbidities
Kim M, Aseltine R, Tabtabai S. Understanding the Burden of 30-Day Readmission in Patients With Both Primary and Secondary Diagnoses of Heart Failure: Causes, Timing, and Impact of Co-Morbidities. The American Journal Of Cardiology 2023, 210: 76-84. PMID: 37858595, DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2023.09.086.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPredictors of 30-Day Readmission in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure as a Primary Versus Secondary Diagnosis
Kim M, Tabtabai S, Aseltine R. Predictors of 30-Day Readmission in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure as a Primary Versus Secondary Diagnosis. The American Journal Of Cardiology 2023, 207: 407-417. PMID: 37782972, DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2023.08.111.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsElixhauser co-morbidity indexHeart failureMultivariate logistic regressionCo-morbiditiesSecondary diagnosisPatients admitted with HFPatient co-morbiditiesAdmitted with HFDetrimental to patientsPopulation of patientsLogistic regressionCo-morbidity indexReadmission riskDiagnosis of HFSecondary diagnosis of HFNationwide Readmissions DatabaseCo-morbid complicationsRenal failureComparing PatientsShort-term rehospitalizationHF patientsStatistically significant predictorsPredicting 30-day readmissionIncreased riskElixhauser co-morbiditiesReadmission Patterns In Patients Admitted With Primary Or Secondary Diagnosis Of Heart Failure
Kim M, Aseltine R, Tabtabai S. Readmission Patterns In Patients Admitted With Primary Or Secondary Diagnosis Of Heart Failure. Journal Of Cardiac Failure 2023, 29: 682. DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2022.10.337.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSecondary diagnosis of HFDiagnosis of HFSecondary diagnosisPrimary diagnosisRisk of hospital admissionSecondary diagnosis of heart failureReadmission ratesIndex admissionLower household incomePrimary diagnosis of HFComorbid conditionsPercentage of readmissionsEffects of comorbid conditionsHeart failureBackground Heart failurePublic health issueSystolic HFDiastolic HFNational Readmission DatabaseRisk of mortalityReduce HF readmissionsHospital characteristicsDiagnosis of heart failureCost of hospitalizationRisk comorbiditiesThe Presence Of Clinical COPD Predicts Mortality In Heart Failure Patient Population
Adeel M, Wakefield D, Soucier R, ZuWallack R, Tabtabai S. The Presence Of Clinical COPD Predicts Mortality In Heart Failure Patient Population. Journal Of Cardiac Failure 2023, 29: 643. DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2022.10.237.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseHFpEF patientsHFrEF patientsHeart failurePrognostic impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseMedian LOSDiagnosis groupsHF typePresence of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseClinical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseConcurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseKaplan-Meier survival curvesComorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseDiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseHeart failure patient populationCalcium channel blockersCox regression analysisClinical chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseIn-Hospital MortalityChronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosisDiagnosis of HFYears of ageImpact of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseObstructive pulmonary diseasePrognostic impactPredicting 30-day Readmission In Patients With A Primary Versus Secondary Diagnosis Of Heart Failure
Kim M, Aseltine R, Tabtabai S. Predicting 30-day Readmission In Patients With A Primary Versus Secondary Diagnosis Of Heart Failure. Journal Of Cardiac Failure 2023, 29: 681. DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2022.10.335.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDiagnosis of HFNational Readmission DatabaseRenal failureRisk scoreCohort of HF patientsHigh riskMultivariate logistic regression analysisReadmission ratesAssociated with younger ageHigher risk of mortalityAdmitted with HFCompared patient demographicsChronic pulmonary diseasePopulation of patientsMultivariate logistic regressionThirty-day readmission ratesLogistic regression analysisElixhauser comorbiditiesRisk of mortalityReadmission riskEvidence-based clinical decision supportHigher risk of readmissionDeficiency anemiaPatient demographicsRisk of readmissionEffect of Torsemide vs Furosemide After Discharge on All-Cause Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure
Mentz R, Anstrom K, Eisenstein E, Sapp S, Greene S, Morgan S, Testani J, Harrington A, Sachdev V, Ketema F, Kim D, Desvigne-Nickens P, Pitt B, Velazquez E, Adams K, Bhatt K, DeWald T, Axsom K, Murthy S, Rich J, Testani J, Smith B, Vader J, McCulloch M, Skopicki H, Psotka M, Heroux A, Lala-Trindade A, Stevens G, Tang W, Lev Y, William P, Eberly A, Gottleib S, Haught W, Grafton G, Larned J, Tejwani L, Mody F, Krim S, Robinson M, Fang J, Adler A, Bell A, Banerjee D, Ruiz Duque E, Mizyed A, Rommel J, Arhinful J, Goyal P, Hall M, Hummel S, Shetty S, Haas D, Vilaro J, Alexy T, Herre J, Clark J, Ambrosy A, Gaglianello N, Ramasubbu K, Meadows J, Tabtabai S, Sherwood M, Hasni S, D'Urso M, Muneer B, Dunlap S, Davis W, Friedman D, Guglin M, Ferguson A, Abbate A, Smart F. Effect of Torsemide vs Furosemide After Discharge on All-Cause Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure. JAMA: The Journal Of The American Medical Association 2023, 329: 214-223. PMID: 36648467, PMCID: PMC9857435, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.23924.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCause mortalityHeart failureTorsemide groupFurosemide groupTotal hospitalizationsCause hospitalizationEffects of torsemideDiuretic strategyPrespecified subgroupsSecondary outcomesEjection fractionMedian agePrimary outcomeHospitalizationMAIN OUTCOMEPatientsFurosemideMortalityMonthsTorsemidePrimary hypothesisSignificant differencesFinal dateOutcomesTrials
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Teaching & Mentoring
Mentoring
Maha Inam
Internal medical resident2025 - PresentEmma Barry
Yale Internal medical resident2024 - PresentAlexandra Schwann, MD
cardiology fellow2023 - PresentAshwin Pillai
Internal medical resident2021 - 2024
Clinical Care
Overview
Sara Tabtabai, MD, is a cardiologist who specializes in heart failure and cardiovascular medicine. She diagnoses and treats conditions related to advanced heart failure, women's heart disease, cardio-obstetrics, and amyloid cardiomyopathy (where abnormal proteins accumulate in the heart muscle, leading to damage and impaired heart function).
As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Tabtabai is involved in research aimed at enhancing the understanding and treatment of heart failure.
Dr. Tabtabai earned her medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She then completed residency and fellowship training in internal and cardiovascular medicine, as well as advanced training in heart failure and transplantation, at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Clinical Specialties
Cardiovascular Medicine; Heart Failure
Fact Sheets
Cardiac Amyloidosis
Learn More on Yale MedicineAmyloidosis
Learn More on Yale MedicineHeart Disease in Women
Learn More on Yale MedicineHeart Transplant
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Obesity Medicine
- Certification Organization
- AB of Obesity Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2025
Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Latest Certification Date
- 2024
- Original Certification Date
- 2016
Cardiovascular Disease
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Latest Certification Date
- 2024
- Original Certification Date
- 2015
Internal Medicine
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Latest Certification Date
- 2024
- Original Certification Date
- 2012
Yale Medicine News
News
News
- November 18, 2025
Upcoming Conference: Obesity and Genetic Heart Disease in the Era of Preventive Cardiology
- January 08, 2025
Sara Tabtabai Elected Governor of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Cardiology
- January 03, 2025
Building Clinical Capacity in Cardiovascular Medicine Across the Caribbean
- February 07, 2024
Welcome New Staff, Faculty, Postdocs & Postgrads (February 2024)
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