Nihar Desai, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)Cards
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)
Biography
Nihar R. Desai, MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Vice Chief of the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, an Investigator at the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, and Executive Director for Bundled Payments and Clinical Service Line Operations at the Yale New Haven Health System. His interests focus on cardiovascular health services and comparative effectiveness research, examining patterns of care, identifying opportunities to improve clinical outcomes, and evaluating the impact of novel care delivery systems on cost and quality. In addition, he serves as a clinical consultant on the CMS acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery readmission and mortality measures. He graduated with highest honors from Lehigh University before completing an internship in the Clinton White House. He then attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where he received his Doctorate in Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health where he received his Master’s in Public Health. Dr. Desai completed his residency training in Internal Medicine as well as his clinical fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He then completed a research fellowship at the TIMI Study Group with Dr. Eugene Braunwald. His scholarly work has been published in New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Appointments
Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Professor on TermPrimaryInstitution for Social and Policy Studies
Associate Professor on TermSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Center for Biomedical Data Science
- Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation (CORE)
- Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator (CTRA)
- Institution for Social and Policy Studies
- Internal Medicine
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Brigham & Women's Hospital (2013)
- Residency
- Brigham & Women's Hospital (2009)
- MD
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2006)
- MPH
- Harvard School of Public Health (2005)
Research
Publications
2024
Impact of Inpatient Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Volume on 30-Day Readmissions After Acute Myocardial Infarction-Cardiogenic Shock
Bansal K, Gupta M, Garg M, Patel N, Truesdell A, Babar Basir M, Rab S, Ahmad T, Kapur N, Desai N, Vallabhajosyula S. Impact of Inpatient Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Volume on 30-Day Readmissions After Acute Myocardial Infarction-Cardiogenic Shock. JACC Heart Failure 2024 PMID: 39243243, DOI: 10.1016/j.jchf.2024.07.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPercutaneous coronary interventionCardiogenic shockAcute myocardial infarctionAnnual PCI volumesHeart failureAll-causeHigh-volume PCI centersHigh-volume centersAMI-CSNationwide Readmissions DatabaseMedian annual PCI volumesVolume-outcome relationshipAMI-CS admissionsHospital PCI volumePercutaneous coronary intervention volumeVolume centersOrgan dysfunctionPCI centerMultivariable adjustmentHF readmissionSupportive therapyHighest quartilesQ1 hospitalsNoncardiac readmissionComorbidity burdenContemporary Patterns of Medicare and Medicaid Utilization and Associated Spending on Tafamidis in Cardiac Amyloidosis
Bansal K, Majmundar V, Young G, Riello R, Faridi K, Ahmad T, Desai N. Contemporary Patterns of Medicare and Medicaid Utilization and Associated Spending on Tafamidis in Cardiac Amyloidosis. JACC Heart Failure 2024, 12: 1791-1793. PMID: 39115517, DOI: 10.1016/j.jchf.2024.07.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUtilization of Fixed-Dose Combination Treatment for Hypertension in Medicare and Medicaid From 2016 to 2020
Essa M, Ross J, Dhruva S, Desai N, Spatz E, Faridi K. Utilization of Fixed-Dose Combination Treatment for Hypertension in Medicare and Medicaid From 2016 to 2020. Circulation Cardiovascular Quality And Outcomes 2024, 17: e010697. PMID: 38712553, DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.123.010697.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMedicare Coverage and Patient Out-of-Pocket Costs for Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Medications
Young G, Bansal K, Riello R, Clark K, Dhruva S, Faridi K, Desai N. Medicare Coverage and Patient Out-of-Pocket Costs for Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Medications. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2412437. PMID: 38771578, PMCID: PMC11109768, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12437.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchReal-world evaluation of an algorithmic machine-learning-guided testing approach in stable chest pain: a multinational, multicohort study
Oikonomou E, Aminorroaya A, Dhingra L, Partridge C, Velazquez E, Desai N, Krumholz H, Miller E, Khera R. Real-world evaluation of an algorithmic machine-learning-guided testing approach in stable chest pain: a multinational, multicohort study. European Heart Journal - Digital Health 2024, 5: 303-313. PMID: 38774380, PMCID: PMC11104476, DOI: 10.1093/ehjdh/ztae023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRisk of acute myocardial infarctionAssociated with lower oddsHospital health systemCoronary artery diseaseCardiac testingRisk of adverse outcomesUK BiobankHealth systemProvider-drivenLower oddsAssociated with better outcomesAcute myocardial infarctionBlack raceStable chest painFemale sexReal world evaluationDiabetes historyMulticohort studyFunction testsSuspected coronary artery diseaseYounger ageRisk profileAdverse outcomesMultinational cohortPost hoc analysisEpidemiology and risk factors for hyperkalaemia in heart failure
Grobbee D, Filippatos G, Desai N, Coats A, Pinto F, Rosano G, Cleland J, Kammerer J, de Arellano A. Epidemiology and risk factors for hyperkalaemia in heart failure. ESC Heart Failure 2024, 11: 1821-1840. PMID: 38439165, PMCID: PMC11287317, DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.14661.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHeart failureObservational studyRisk factorsRenin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitorsSevere renal impairmentElevated serum potassiumImpaired renal functionRisk of hyperkalaemiaIncreased risk of mortalityAdverse cardiovascular eventsClinical epidemiological dataFollow-up lengthChronic kidney diseaseRisk of mortalityIdentified risk factorsMild hyperkalaemiaPotassium bindersRenal impairmentConcomitant medicationsHF therapyDiagnosed HFRenal functionSerum potassiumClinical careClinical outcomesBundled Payments for Care Improvement and Quality of Care and Outcomes in Heart Failure
Oddleifson D, Holmes D, Alhanti B, Xu X, Heidenreich P, Wadhera R, Allen L, Greene S, Fonarow G, Spatz E, Desai N. Bundled Payments for Care Improvement and Quality of Care and Outcomes in Heart Failure. JAMA Cardiology 2024, 9: 222-232. PMID: 38170516, PMCID: PMC10765313, DOI: 10.1001/jamacardio.2023.5009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-BPCI hospitalsCause readmission rateReadmission ratesHeart failureSignificant differential changesCare measuresHospital participationBPCI hospitalsHospital mortalityEnzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockersMortality rateBPCI programAngiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitorEvidence-based β-blockersGuidelines-Heart Failure registryEnd pointBPCI Model 2Heart failure educationAngiotensin receptor blockersPrimary end pointSecondary end pointsThird of patientsCardiac resynchronization therapyCause mortality ratesHeart failure programImplications of Atrial Fibrillation for Guideline-Directed Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure JACC State-of-the-Art Review
Newman J, O'Meara E, Böhm M, Savarese G, Kelly P, Vardeny O, Allen L, Lancellotti P, Gottlieb S, Samad Z, Morris A, Desai N, Rosano G, Teerlink J, Giraldo C, Lindenfeld J. Implications of Atrial Fibrillation for Guideline-Directed Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure JACC State-of-the-Art Review. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2024, 83: 932-950. PMID: 38418008, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.12.033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGuideline-directed medical therapyAtrial fibrillationHeart failureAssociated with significant morbiditySpectrum of ejection fractionPrevention of AFIncidence of AFGuideline-directed therapyDiagnosis of AFEjection fractionSignificant morbidityMedical therapyJACC State-of-the-Art ReviewPatientsFrequent hospitalizationsIncreased life expectancyAssociated with greater symptom burdenCardiovascular conditionsGreater symptom burdenTherapySymptom burdenLife expectancyFibrillationHeartPrognosisHeart failure with mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction: A review of disease burden and remaining unmet medical needs within a new treatment landscape
Desai N, Olewinska E, Famulska A, Remuzat C, Francois C, Folkerts K. Heart failure with mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction: A review of disease burden and remaining unmet medical needs within a new treatment landscape. Heart Failure Reviews 2024, 29: 631-662. PMID: 38411769, PMCID: PMC11035416, DOI: 10.1007/s10741-024-10385-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRandomized controlled trialsHeart failureUnmet medical needAssociated with considerable morbidityDisease burdenPatient outcomesSymptomatic HF patientsEconomic burdenOverview of heart failureComposite cardiovascular deathClinical practice guidelinesGlobal healthcare concernMedical needPoor patient outcomesTargeted literature reviewPreventable disease burdenTreatment landscapeHFmrEF/HFpEFHF hospitalizationHF patientsCardiovascular deathElectronic databasesPatient characteristicsStudy characteristicsMortality riskIntermediate and long-term residual cardiovascular risk in patients with established cardiovascular disease treated with statins
Vijayaraghavan K, Baum S, Desai N, Voyce S. Intermediate and long-term residual cardiovascular risk in patients with established cardiovascular disease treated with statins. Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine 2024, 10: 1308173. PMID: 38288054, PMCID: PMC10822878, DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1308173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLDL-CCV riskPeripheral arterial diseaseArtery diseaseCumulative incidence of CV eventsCV diseaseLowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterolPatients treated with statinsIncidence of CV eventsLong-term event ratesWell-controlled LDL-CLow-density lipoprotein cholesterolLDL-C reductionAdd-on agentEvent ratesFirst-line treatmentResidual cardiovascular riskCV event ratesCoronary artery diseaseCV-related deathOmega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acidFirst-lineCumulative incidenceEicosapentaenoic acidCV events
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Pragmatic Trial Of Alerts for Use of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists (PROMPT-MRA)
HIC ID2000030513RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/01/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18+ years
Clinical Care
Overview
Nihar Desai, MD, MPH, is a cardiovascular medicine specialist, treating patients with complex cardiovascular conditions, including acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and arrhythmias.
Dr. Desai’s research explores opportunities to improve the quality of care, the impact of decision support tools on care patterns, and how different models of care affect quality, outcomes, and cost of care. He leads clinical trials and real world studies using administrative and clinical datasets to conduct hypothesis driven research of importance to patients, providers, payers, and policymakers.
Dr. Desai is an associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
News
News
- October 24, 2024
New Analytics Center for Cardiovascular Medicine
- July 24, 2024
Yale Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Promotions and Appointments (July 2024)
- April 01, 2024
Yale Faculty Present Groundbreaking Clinical Research at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions
- March 29, 2024Source: The New York Times
Heart Pump Is Linked to 49 Deaths, the F.D.A. Warns