Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Department of Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Samir Saba, MD

Cardiology

Professor of Medicine

Chief, Division of Cardiology

Co-Director, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute

Harry S. Tack Chair, School of Medicine

Professor in Clinical and Translational Science

Email: sabas@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-647-2762
Contact
Office: Heart and Vascular Institute, UPMC Presbyterian
200 Lothrop Street, PUH, South Tower, 3rd Floor, Room E355.6
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-647-2762
Fax: 412-647-7979
E-mail: sabas@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Patricia Neary
Email: nearypl@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-647-2695
Education and Training
Education
BE in Electrical Engineering, American University of Beirut, 1989
MD, American University of Beirut, 1993
Training
Residency in Internal Medicine, Tufts University - New England Medical Center, 1996
Cardiovascular Diseases, Tufts university - New England Medical Center, 1999
Cardiac Electrophysiology, Tufts university - New England Medical Center, 2000
Research Interest
Dr. Saba has authored more than 250 manuscripts that were published in peer-reviewed journals and has been issued 3 patents for inventions in the field of cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Saba is the recipient of research grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the American Heart Foundation, and the American College of Cardiology. His research interests include:

1) Cardiac device therapy for heart failure
2) Post-MI cardiac monitoring
3) Tranlational research on the mechanism and therapies of ventricular arrhythmias
Clinical Interest
Dr. Saba’s clinical interest and expertise have focused on the management of arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities of the heart. He has wide experience in implanting and managing all cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), including pacemakers, defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices. He also has expertise in ablation procedures of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and ischemic ventricular tachycardia. In addition, Dr. Saba is nationally recognized for his expertise in CIED lead management, including lead extractions.
Educational Interest
Dr. Saba's educational interests are in mentoring medical students, residents, and fellows in the design, planning, execution, analysis, interpretation, and publications of clinical research clinical research.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Voigt, A., Ezzeddine, R., Barrington, W., Obiaha-Ngwu, O., Ganz, L.I., London, B., Saba, S. Utilization of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest in the United States from 1996 to 2001. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004; 44: 855-858.
Triola, B., Olson, M.B., Reis, S.E., Rautaharju, P., Bairey Merz, C.N., Kelsey, S.F., Shaw, L.J., Sharaf, B.L., Sopko, G., Saba, S. Electrocardiographic Predictors of Cardiovascular Outcome in Women: The NHLBI-Sponsored WISE Study. JACC. 2005; 46: 51-56.
Saba, S., Volosin, K., Yee, R., Swerdlow, C., Brown, M. Combined Atrial and Ventricular Anti-Tachycardia Pacing As a Novel Method of Rhythm Discrimination: The Dynamic Discrimination Download Study. Circulation. 2010; 121: 487-497.
Saba, S., Mehdi, H., Mathier, M., Islam, Z., Salama, G., London, B. Effect of right ventricular versus biventricular pacing on electrical remodeling in the normal heart. Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiol. 2010; 3: 79-87.
Liu, J., Rattan, R., Adelstein, E., Barrington, W., Bazaz, R., Brode, S., Jain, S., Mendenhall, G.S., Nemec, J., Razak, E., Shalaby, A., Schwartzman, D., Voigt, A., Wang, N.C., Saba, S. Fluoroscopic Screening of Asymptomatic Patients with the Recalled Riata Lead Family. Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology. 2012; 5: 809-814.
Saba, S., Marek, J., Schwartzman, D., Jain, S., Adelstein, E., White, P., Oyenuga, O.A., Onishi, T., Soman, P., Gorcsan III, J. Echocardiography-Guided Left Ventricular Lead Placement for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Results of the Speckle Tracking Assisted Resynchronization Therapy for Electrode Region (STARTER) Trial. Circulation Heart Failure. 2013; 6: 427-434.
Voigt, A., Shalaby, A., Saba, S. Rising Rates of Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Infections in the United States: 1996 through 2003. JACC. 2006; 48: 590-591.
Saba, S., Janczewski, A.M., Baker, L.C., Shusterman, V., Gursoy, E.C., Salama, G., McTiernan, C., London, B. Atrial contractile dysfunction, fibrosis, and arrhythmias in a mouse model of cardiomyopathy secondary to cardiac-specific overexpression of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha. Am J Physiol. 2005; 289: H1456-1467.
Saba, S., Mathier, M., Mehdi, H., Gursoy, E., Liu, T., Choi, B.R., Salama, G., London, B. Prevention of Adverse Electrical and Mechanical Remodeling with Bi-Ventricular Pacing in a Rabbit Model of Myocardial Infarction. Heart Rhythm J. 2008; 5: 124-130.
Khodanji, A., Maillart, L., Prokopyev, O.A., Roberts, M.S., Saba, S. Dynamic Abandon/Extract Decisions for Failed Cardiac Leads. Management Science. 2016; in press.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Arrhythmia Detection After Myocardial Infarction (AIDMI) trial
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Abbott Laboratories
Grant Number: DRUG PROTOCOL 20453
Start Year: 2021
End Year: 2026
Title: Clinical, Electrocardiographi & cardiac magnetic Resonance imaging risk factors
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: University of Rochester / National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R01 HL140588
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2020
Title: Cardiac Resynchronization in the Elderly: Piloting Pacemaker vs. Defibrillator Therapy
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R34 HL132031
Start Year: 2017
End Year: 2021
Title: Electrocardiographic Detection of Non-ST Elevation Coronary Events for Accelerated Classification of Chest Pain Encounters (ECG-SMART)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R01 HL137761
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2022
Notable Achievements
Editorial Board - Circulation, 2016-present
Editorial Board - Heart Rhythm Journal, 2014-present
Senior Editorial consultant - Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 2019-present
Inventor on 4 patents
Best Doctors Pittsburgh Magazine, 2012, 2015, 2016
Pitt Innovation Award, 2011
Edward I. Curtis Memorial Teaching Award, 2006

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

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Phone:  412-648-9636
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