Merilyn Varghese, MD, MSc
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
ASSOCIATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS WITH CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG WOMEN AND MEN VETERANS
Varghese M, Han L, Skanderson M, Wu W, Burg M, Gaffey A, Mattocks K, Gandhi P, Brandt C, Bastian L, Akgun K. ASSOCIATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS WITH CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG WOMEN AND MEN VETERANS. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 507. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(25)00991-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUsing Distributional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis to Improve Equity and Efficiency
Goshua G, Varghese M, Ito S, Pandya A. Using Distributional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis to Improve Equity and Efficiency. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 1376-1378. PMID: 40139895, PMCID: PMC12039621, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.01.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDISPARITIES IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
Chen E, Wu W, Varghese M. DISPARITIES IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 371. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(25)00855-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUse of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Essa M, Decker S, Liang L, Song Y, Varghese M, Figueroa J, Sperling L, Fonarow G, Keteyian S, Thompson M, Beatty A, Kazi D. Use of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 1614-1617. PMID: 40099778, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.03.497.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans
Varghese M, Wu W, Drwal K, Burg M, Kazi D, Gaffey A, Mattocks K, Brandt C, Bastian L, Gandhi P. Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans. Journal Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation And Prevention 2025, 45: 78-84. PMID: 40014636, DOI: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000932.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLocal VA medical centersHome-based CRCardiac rehabilitationVA Medical CenterVeterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systemIn-personImpact of mental healthU.S. veteransIntegrated care networksSecondary prevention interventionsMedical CenterCardiac rehabilitation outcomesImprove exercise capacityRisk of cardiovascular diseaseAttend CRIncreased risk of cardiovascular diseaseRehabilitation outcomesCR utilizationCare networkMental healthPreventive interventionsRacial disparitiesDepressive symptomsHealthcare systemExercise capacity
2024
Geographic access to cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular disease outcomes: A study of rural United States counties
Chen E, Varghese M, Wu W. Geographic access to cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular disease outcomes: A study of rural United States counties. Current Problems In Cardiology 2024, 49: 102740. PMID: 38972468, DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2024.102740.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCoronary heart diseaseCardiac rehabilitationCardiovascular disease outcomesUnited States countiesHospitalization ratesStroke mortalityStroke deathsStroke hospitalizationsStates countiesRural-urban disparitiesCR facilitiesGeographic accessReduce barriersSocio-DemographicHeart failureDisease outcomeNonmetro countiesRural areasComorbid conditionsHospitalStroke outcomeRehabilitationHeart diseaseMortality rateStrokeThe Potential of Broadband Internet Availability in Improving Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation
Chen E, Varghese M, Wu W. The Potential of Broadband Internet Availability in Improving Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation. Journal Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation And Prevention 2024, 44: 227-228. PMID: 38959340, DOI: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000895.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Availability and Use of In-Person and Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Among US Medicare Beneficiaries: A Post-Pandemic Update
Varghese M, Song Y, Xu J, Dahabreh I, Beatty A, Sperling L, Fonarow G, Keteyian S, Yeh R, Wu W, Kazi D. Availability and Use of In-Person and Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Among US Medicare Beneficiaries: A Post-Pandemic Update. Journal Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation And Prevention 2023, 43: 301-303. PMID: 37158994, PMCID: PMC10843522, DOI: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000803.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiology fellow echocardiography education at a large academic center
Varghese M, Strom J, Kannam J, Fostello S, Riley M, Manning W. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiology fellow echocardiography education at a large academic center. BMC Medical Education 2022, 22: 863. PMID: 36514029, PMCID: PMC9747257, DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03880-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTransesophageal echocardiogramCardiology fellowsMethodsOur institutional databaseStudy periodClinical responseInstitutional databaseAcademic centersElective proceduresPandemic recoveryPandemic recovery periodCOVID-19 pandemicPre-pandemic volumesEchocardiography volumesTTEEchocardiographyCardiologyCardiac Rehabilitation and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Persistent Declines in Cardiac Rehabilitation Participation and Access Among US Medicare Beneficiaries
Varghese M, Beatty A, Song Y, Xu J, Sperling L, Fonarow G, Keteyian S, McConeghy K, Penko J, Yeh R, Figueroa J, Wu W, Kazi D. Cardiac Rehabilitation and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Persistent Declines in Cardiac Rehabilitation Participation and Access Among US Medicare Beneficiaries. Circulation Cardiovascular Quality And Outcomes 2022, 15: e009618. PMID: 36314139, PMCID: PMC9749950, DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009618.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCR participationCardiac rehabilitationCR sessionsMedicare beneficiariesVulnerable communitiesCOVID-19 pandemicCr centerMedicare fee-for-service beneficiariesFee-for-service beneficiariesCardiac rehabilitation participantsSocially vulnerable communitiesNational emergencyLow-income patientsRural areasUS Medicare beneficiariesRehabilitation participantsStatistically significant changesPublic hospitalsBeneficiariesMedicaid enrolleesCOVID-19Prepandemic levelsMedicareParticipantsSocial
Clinical Care
Overview
Merilyn Varghese, MD, is a cardiologist who cares for adults with a wide range of heart conditions. She focuses on preventing and treating diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels, using tools such as heart imaging and lifestyle guidance to help patients maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
“Many studies show that lifestyle is important. It sounds simple, but it can be hard to change,” Dr. Vaghese says. “We need to find ways to engage with people and keep them committed to making those important changes. That’s what drives me. It’s what I’m passionate about.”
As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Varghese studies ways to improve outcomes for people with heart disease, particularly among veterans. She explores strategies to refine treatment approaches and enhance long-term health for her patients.
Dr. Varghese received her medical training from Stony Brook School of Medicine. She completed an internal medicine internship and residency and pursued both a research fellowship and a general cardiology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Clinical Specialties
Cardiovascular Medicine; Cardiac Imaging