About me
Minhal Makshood, MD, is a board-certified general and preventive cardiologist at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center. She treats a broad spectrum of cardiovascular conditions, with particular expertise in women’s health and cardio-obstetrics.
Dr. Makshood focuses on preventing and managing cardiovascular disease in both men and women. Her approach is comprehensive and personalized, integrating lifestyle changes such as exercise, stress management, and nutrition with evidence-based therapies and advanced diagnostic tools. She offers individualized and culturally sensitive counseling to support sustainable changes that promote long-term heart health. With Level III training in echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography, she performs and interprets advanced cardiac imaging with precision, ensuring accurate diagnoses and informed treatment decisions.
A specialist in women’s cardiovascular health and cardio-obstetrics, Dr. Makshood is deeply committed to improving outcomes for women across the reproductive lifespan, particularly in addressing the rising rates of maternal morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. She counsels women with pre-existing cardiac disease on the safety of pregnancy and provides close monitoring before, after, and during pregnancy, including guiding labor and delivery and postpartum care. In collaboration with maternal-fetal physicians, she treats a wide variety of pregnancy-related cardiac conditions such as preeclampsia, hypertensive disorders, heart failure, and cardiomyopathy of various etiologies. Overall, Dr. Makshood has a unique understanding of the presentation of cardiac disease in women and how hormonal changes, particularly in menopause, affect cardiac risk.
Dr. Makshood’s research centers on pregnancy-related cardiovascular disease and ethnic disparities in heart health. She is especially passionate about reducing risk factors in South Asian populations, who are disproportionately affected by premature coronary artery disease. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Risk Reports, and JACC: Case Reports, and she has presented at international conferences, including the Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy (CPP) meeting.
Dr. Makshood completed her medical training at Albany Medical College, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. She then did her residency at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, where she was selected to serve as Chief Resident. After her residency, she completed a three-year general cardiology fellowship with specialized training in women’s health and cardio-obstetrics. She went on to do a one-year advanced fellowship training in advanced imaging with a focus on echocardiography and nuclear imaging.
Throughout her career, Dr. Makshood has been recognized for her clinical excellence, research contributions, outstanding character, and integrity. She received the Lou and Nancy Endowed Research Fellowship to support her research during her fellowship at Johns Hopkins and the Hynson Howell Marwell, Jr. Scholarship for embodying qualities such as respect and dedication to helping others from diverse backgrounds.
She is a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Echocardiography, and the American Heart Association.
Philosophy of Care
“I believe that every patient, regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status, or background, deserves compassionate, personalized, and high-quality cardiovascular care. My guiding philosophy centers on health equity, cultural humility, and patient empowerment, with a particular commitment to addressing the unique cardiovascular risks faced by women, especially during and after pregnancy, and by racially marginalized communities."
Clinical areas of focus
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Arrhythmia
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bradycardia
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chest Pain
- Cocaine Related Disorders
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Artery Spasm
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Dyspnea On Exertion
- Heart Attack
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease In Women
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Palpitations
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocarditis
- Palpitations
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Shortness Of Breath
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Arrhythmia
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Septal Defect
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Angioplasty
- Atherectomy
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Angioplasty
- Cardiac Biopsy
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
- Cardiovascular Disease Screening
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol Screening
- Coronary Angioplasty
- Coronary Artery Disease Management
- Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
- Coronary Artery Stenting
- Coronary Stenting
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology Study
- Event Monitoring
- Exercise Stress Test
- Extended Ecg Analysis
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Biopsy
- Heart Failure Management
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Murmur Treatment
- Heart Rhythm Monitoring
- Holter Monitoring
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Implantation
- Implantable Loop Recorder
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Lipid Profile
- Myocardial Infarction Treatment
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Pacemaker Interrogation
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Preventive Cardiology
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Pulmonary Vein Isolation
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Renal Artery Stenting
- Stent Placement
- Stress Test
- Syncope Treatment
- Tilt Table Test
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Basic
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- First Health PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HighMark
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Sentara Health
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Network OA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Medicare FFS
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Classic 3500
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-Open HMO Option
- First Health PPO
- Aetna HMO
- IH-POS
- Optimum Choice
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- IH-Open HMO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- IH-Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Medicare Direct
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- IH-HMO
- Beech Street PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- OA Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Choice Fund PPO
- Choice POS
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- POS OA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CIGNA PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Navigate
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- TRICARE East Prime
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2025)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2024)
Residency: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center-GME/Registrar (2020)
Medical School: Albany Medical College (2017)