Restore Life's Rhythm with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Treatment Options

×

Nestor Vaquez Encinas, MD

Nestor Vasquez, MD, is a cardiac electrophysiologist at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center. He is double board-certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine.

Dr. Vasquez specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the heart’s electrical system, also known as arrhythmias. His clinical interests include ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, PVCs, atrial fibrillation, conduction system pacing, and defibrillators. He performs minimally invasive procedures to treat these arrhythmias, including complex cardiac ablations and the implantation of pacemakers, defibrillators, and devices such as Watchman™.

Dedicated to advancing innovation in electrophysiology, Dr. Vasquez is actively involved in the development of new therapies for complex arrhythmias. In particular, he is interested in new ablation technologies to treat ventricular tachycardia, epicardial access tools, and the use of neuromodulation (a noninvasive therapy that regulates the nervous system) to treat arrhythmias. Additionally, he is excited about emerging strategies for ventricular fibrillation treatment.

Born and raised in Peru, Dr. Vasquez obtained his medical degree from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia–Alberto Hurtado School of Medicine in Lima. After immigrating to the United States, he completed a research fellowship at the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center of Excellence at Hopkins, focusing on the clinical implications of atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. From there, he completed residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern and fellowships in cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he served as Chief Electrophysiology Fellow and was repeatedly recognized for his outstanding clinical and research work. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.

Dr. Vasquez is an active member of the Heart Rhythm Society, the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Peruvian Medical College.

Philosophy of Care:
“Patients under my care receive my full commitment and attention. I have trained extensively and dedicated many years to developing the skills needed to provide advanced electrophysiology care and perform complex procedures with precision and safety. I always prioritize clear communication, empathy, and education when discussing patients’ conditions and treatment options.”

Education:
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2026)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2024)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern-Internal Medicine (2021)
Medical School: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Facultad De Medicina Alberto Hurtado (2016)

Certification and Professional Associations:
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine

×

Zayd Eldadah, MD

Zayd Eldadah, MD, PhD, is Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. Dr. Eldadah completed a medical degree, a PhD in Human Genetics, and a residency in internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He then stayed at Johns Hopkins to complete fellowships in clinical cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology before joining the faculty at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in 2004.

He has been certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and cardiac electrophysiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and Heart Rhythm Society. As a cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Eldadah specializes in the treatment of heart rhythm conditions, and he employs therapies from very basic lifestyle management, such as structured diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques, to selective drug therapies when needed, and for more complex conditions, highly technology-driven treatments involving state-of-the-art pacemakers, defibrillators, and other cardiac rhythm management devices as well as catheter ablation techniques.

Dr. Eldadah's clinical interests include all aspects of heart rhythm care with a special focus on atrial fibrillation and the use of medical devices to improve quality of life. His research interests include improving existing technology and developing newer, more novel ways of understanding and curing heart rhythm problems. Dr. Eldadah's research also focuses on the role of human genetics in atrial fibrillation, the risk of sudden cardiac death, and other conditions of the heart and body.

Cardiac electrophysiology blends the art of personalized, highly individualized care with the power and promise of modern technology to make people better. Dr. Eldadah focuses on identifying the most effective and appropriate ways of approaching heart rhythm conditions through novel therapies as well as improvements to current technologies. His mission is to deliver the therapy of the future today and always to bring his patients the very best and latest advances that modern technology has developed.

Dr. Eldadah enjoys music, travel, spending time with his family, especially sports with his two sons, living a healthy lifestyle, and staying fit.

Philosophy of Care:
"Every individual human body has developed within a unique set of circumstances, genetics, and environmental influences. Because each patient is an individual, we cannot be effective caregivers if we use a one-size-fits-all strategy to deliver care. Rather, we must understand as much as we can about each individual and craft a care plan that is respectful, thoughtful, scientifically sound, and humane. We must always balance risks and benefits in a way that maximizes the good we can bring to our patients, who have placed their trust in us to achieve exactly this."

"Medicine is evolving constantly and rapidly, and what we understand today will almost certainly be modified in the near future. It is my intention always to offer patients the very best, state-of-the-art care and to ensure that every decision we make is a mutual one—one rooted in evidence, experience, and careful thought. My patients are the reason I come to work every day, and no reward is greater than seeing them get better and resume their lives to the fullest."

Education:
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Certification and Professional Associations:
American Board of Internal Medicine, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology

×

Sarfraz Durrani, MD

Dr. Sarfraz K. Durrani, MD, is an attending electrophysiologist and Director of Technology and Innovation in the Heart Rhythm section at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He also sees patients at the MedStar Heart Institute in Fairfax as well as several non-MedStar hospitals in northern Virginia, where he represents MedStar. As an electrophysiology specialist, Dr. Durrani focuses on treating patients with arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, heart block, and stroke related to atrial fibrillation.

Treatments used by Dr. Durrani include performing cardiac ablation, implanting pacemakers and defibrillators for people with heart block or a life-threatening arrhythmia, and performing left atrial appendage occlusion using the Watchman device. He was the first physician in the DC area to perform epicardial ablation for ventricular tachycardia and to implant a Watchman device to close off part of the left atrium of the heart to prevent stroke. Dr. Durrani was also one of the first physicians in Virginia to perform cryoablation for atrial fibrillation.

Dr. Durrani is interested in improving treatment methods for atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, including exploring new approaches to persistent, or chronic, atrial fibrillation. He is also interested in pursuing innovative options for ventricular tachycardia ablation. Dr. Durrani has been a part of several national, ongoing clinical trials.

After receiving his medical degree at Kashmir University Government Medical College in India, Dr. Durrani went on to complete a residency in internal medicine at Nassau University Medical Center, State University of New York - Stony Brook. After serving as Chief Resident, Dr. Durrani spent a year conducting genetics research at the Children’s National Medical Center on a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He then continued his medical training with a cardiology fellowship at George Washington University Hospital and an electrophysiology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.

Philosophy of Care:
“I’ll always work tirelessly in the interest of my patients, and I’ll be the best advocate for them. When I first see a patient, my starting point is to ask myself: ‘How would I approach this patient’s care if this were my family member?’ I put myself in the patient’s shoes to see it from their point of view and understand what decisions I can make that serve their interests best.”

Education:
Fellowship: Duke University Medical Center
Residency: Duke University Medical Center
Fellowship: George Washington University Hospital
Fellowship: Children’s National Medical Center
Fellowship: National Institutes of Health
Residency: Nassau University Medical Center
Residency: State University of New York at Stony Brook
Medical School: Kashmir University Government Medical College

×

Zayd Eldadah, MD

Zayd Eldadah, MD, PhD, is Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. Dr. Eldadah completed a medical degree, a PhD in Human Genetics, and a residency in internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He then stayed at Johns Hopkins to complete fellowships in clinical cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology before joining the faculty at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in 2004.

He has been certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and cardiac electrophysiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and Heart Rhythm Society. As a cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Eldadah specializes in the treatment of heart rhythm conditions, and he employs therapies from very basic lifestyle management, such as structured diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques, to selective drug therapies when needed, and for more complex conditions, highly technology-driven treatments involving state-of-the-art pacemakers, defibrillators, and other cardiac rhythm management devices as well as catheter ablation techniques.

Dr. Eldadah's clinical interests include all aspects of heart rhythm care with a special focus on atrial fibrillation and the use of medical devices to improve quality of life. His research interests include improving existing technology and developing newer, more novel ways of understanding and curing heart rhythm problems. Dr. Eldadah's research also focuses on the role of human genetics in atrial fibrillation, the risk of sudden cardiac death, and other conditions of the heart and body.

Cardiac electrophysiology blends the art of personalized, highly individualized care with the power and promise of modern technology to make people better. Dr. Eldadah focuses on identifying the most effective and appropriate ways of approaching heart rhythm conditions through novel therapies as well as improvements to current technologies. His mission is to deliver the therapy of the future today and always to bring his patients the very best and latest advances that modern technology has developed.

Dr. Eldadah enjoys music, travel, spending time with his family, especially sports with his two sons, living a healthy lifestyle, and staying fit.

Philosophy of Care:
"Every individual human body has developed within a unique set of circumstances, genetics, and environmental influences. Because each patient is an individual, we cannot be effective caregivers if we use a one-size-fits-all strategy to deliver care. Rather, we must understand as much as we can about each individual and craft a care plan that is respectful, thoughtful, scientifically sound, and humane. We must always balance risks and benefits in a way that maximizes the good we can bring to our patients, who have placed their trust in us to achieve exactly this."

"Medicine is evolving constantly and rapidly, and what we understand today will almost certainly be modified in the near future. It is my intention always to offer patients the very best, state-of-the-art care and to ensure that every decision we make is a mutual one—one rooted in evidence, experience, and careful thought. My patients are the reason I come to work every day, and no reward is greater than seeing them get better and resume their lives to the fullest."

Education:
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Certification and Professional Associations:
American Board of Internal Medicine, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology

×

Rajiv Kabadi, MD

Education:
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
Residency: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Medical School: New York Medical College

Certification and Professional Associations:
American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease

×

Manish Shah, MD

Manish Shah, MD, is the Program Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Training at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, as part of MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. He is board certified in cardiac electrophysiology, as well as cardiovascular disease, and is a recipient of the general cardiology faculty teaching award at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

Dr. Shah specializes in the management of slow and fast heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), and ventricular tachycardia. He has special expertise in complex ablation procedures to treat atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), and ventricular tachycardia. Additionally, he is the leading implanter of left atrial appendage closure devices (also known as the WATCHMAN device) in the mid-Atlantic region. He is a national and international proctor for left atrial appendage closure for stroke risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation. His research interests include the use of catheter ablation techniques to improve outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation and optimizing implantation of left atrial appendage closure devices.

Dr. Shah received his biomedical engineering and medical degrees from Case Western Reserve University. He earned several academic distinctions, including induction into the AOA Honor Medical Society and the Howard Hughes Medical Fellowship. He subsequently completed his internal medicine residency at Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital. He then went on to complete a fellowship program in general cardiology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he stayed to complete an advanced fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology as chief fellow.

When not advocating cutting-edge care for his patients, Dr. Shah enjoys spending time with his two children.

Philosophy of Care:
"Honesty, transparency, clear communication and patient education are the pillars of my practice. Your good health is my personal responsibility, and I strive to be accessible, compassionate and on the vanguard of new medical technology."

The focus of my initial consultation is patient education through the use of clear and simple language so that you can make informed decisions that serve you best. If you require an electrophysiologic procedure, we have a team of doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses who will provide you with comfort, reassurance, and world-class, cardiac care."

Education:
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Residency: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Certification and Professional Associations:
American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine

×

David Strouse, MD

Dr. David A. Strouse, MD, is a cardiac electrophysiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. In addition to seeing patients, he also serves as the Chief of Complex Ablation and Chief of Virginia Outreach Programs for the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute. As a cardiac electrophysiology specialist, Dr. Strouse focuses on understanding and treating abnormal electrical heart activity, including conditions like atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, tachycardia, and bradycardia.

Procedures and services performed by Dr. Strouse include complex catheter-based ablations of all cardiac arrhythmias, epicardial ablation, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, the WATCHMAN procedure, heart rhythm device implantation, genetic counseling for heart conditions, and managing the treatment of genetic heart conditions.

Dr. Strouse has collaborated in over 45 studies and trials related to electrophysiology, including novel ablation techniques and new modalities of pacing. He is particularly interested in new techniques for ablation in treating complex arrhythmias. Clinically, his goal is to always be at the cutting edge of cardiac electrophysiology treatments, performing the most sophisticated procedures and using the newest technologies available.

Dr. Strouse received his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he conducted research in pathophysiology. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals and then completed a fellowship in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at New York University Medical Center.

Philosophy of Care:
"My goal is to always be the patient’s advocate, be responsive to questions, and think of the patient as a member of my family. My treatment recommendations always consider the patient’s needs and circumstances first."

Education:
Fellowship: New York University Medical Center
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals
Internship: Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine

Certification and Professional Associations:
American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease