About me
Syed Waqas Haider, MD, MPH, FACC is a board-certified cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, where he serves as Director of the Pericardial Disease Program. He specializes in the evaluation and treatment of complex pericardial syndromes, recurrent pericarditis, and inflammatory cardiac conditions, with additional clinical expertise in multimodality imaging and general cardiology.
Dr. Haider is certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology. His academic work focuses on advanced imaging applications for inflammatory heart disease and clinical trials in recurrent pericarditis. He is actively involved as site investigator for the RESONANCE registry and co-primary investigator for the MAvERIC-Pilot trial, a multi-center study investigating cannabidiol therapy in recurrent pericarditis. He previously contributed to NIH-sponsored COVID-19 trials during the pandemic’s early phase.
He has published in high-impact journals including JACC Case Reports, Frontiers in Medicine, and BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, and served as a guest editor for JACC Case Reports. In addition to his clinical and research leadership, Dr. Haider is a committed educator and received the 2023 Educator of the Year award from the MedStar Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center Cardiovascular Fellowship. He holds an MPH from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
Philosophy of Care
Many of my patients call me an “old-school doctor”—a term I wear with pride. I believe in personalized, attentive care and take the time to listen beyond just cardiac symptoms. In doing so, I often uncover important clinical details that shape better diagnoses and treatment. Cardiovascular disease is one of the few major killers we can often prevent or control. My goal is to translate complex guidelines and therapies into clear, actionable steps for each patient—making care not just evidence-based, but practical.
Clinical Trials
2023–present: Co-Primary Investigator- MAvERIC-Pilot Trial. Phase II trial of cannabidiol (CardiolRx™) in recurrent pericarditis.
2023–present: Site Investigator-RESONANCE Registry for recurrent pericarditis registry (Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals).
2020- Secondary Investigator-NIH COVID-19 Therapeutic Trial. Remdesivir safety and efficacy in moderate COVID-19. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04292730.
2023: Co-primary investigator- Cardiol 100-004 Study (MAvERIC-Pilot). Cardiol 100-004 is a Phase 2 multi-center, open-label, pilot study assessing the impact of CardiolRx™ (cannabidiol) oral solution, on recurrent pericarditis. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05494788).
2020: Secondary investigator- Study to Evaluate the Safety and Antiviral Activity of Remdesivir (GS-5734™) in Participants With Moderate Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Compared to Standard of Care Treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04292730).
Clinical areas of focus
- Abnormal Electrocardiogram (EKG) Analysis
- Cardioversion
- Electrocardiogram
- Heart Murmur Treatment
- Pacemaker Interrogation
- Palpitation Treatment
- Stress Echocardiography
- Supraventricular Tachycardia Management
- Syncope Treatment
- Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aorta Disorders
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of Aorta
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Complications
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiac Valve Tumors
- Cardiometabolic Disorders
- Cardiomyopathy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chest Pain
- Cholesterol Disorders
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Cocaine Related Disorders
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Malformations Of Cardiac Chambers And Connections
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Fibromuscular Dysplasia
- Heart Attack
- Heart Blockage
- Heart Disease
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Valve Disorders
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Infarction Complications
- Myocarditis
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Retinal Vein Occlusion
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
- Swelling In Legs
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Abnormal Electrocardiogram (EKG) Analysis
- Absolute Quantitation Of Myocardial Blood Flow
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Catheterization Interpretation
- Cardiac Loop Recorder Placement
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiovascular Stress Testing
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology Study
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Disease Treatment
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Murmur Treatment
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Ultrasonography
- High Cholesterol Management
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Implantation
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Pacemaker Interrogation
- Palpitation Treatment
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Stress Echocardiography
- Stress Test
- Supraventricular Tachycardia Management
- Syncope Treatment
- Tilt Table Test
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram With Strain Imaging
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
- 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
- IH-Open POS Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Navigate
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-POS
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open POS II
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Student Resources
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- Network OA
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Sentara Health
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- TRICARE East Prime
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Basic
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- IH-EPO Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Medicare Direct
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Choice POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open HMO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Administrators
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- OA Plus
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Medicare FFS
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Choice Fund PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center-Roosevelt Division (2021)
Residency: St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center-Roosevelt Division (2017)
Medical School: Ziauddin University (2012)
Awards
- Educator of the Year – MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/MedStar Washington Hospital Center Fellowship (2023)
- Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) Academic Program Scholarship” - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2020)
- “Merit Excellent Student Achievement Scholarship”- Milken Institute of Public- George Washington University (2017)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Media Appearances
FOX 5 DC – Heart Health Month: Pericarditis (February 2024)
WTOP – Commentary on “One Chip Challenge”–related cardiac implications (May 2024)
Syed Haider, MD, Cardiology, spoke with the Associated Press and WBAL-TV (Baltimore) about the effects of a chili pepper extract known as capsaicin on the heart. Recent autopsy reports from a teen who participated in a tortilla chip challenge died of cardiac arrest from ingesting large doses of capsaicin. Read the AP story here. Watch the WBAL story here.
Fairfax Times – Interview on cardiac risk and snow shoveling (January 2024)
Publications
Dr. Haider’s peer-reviewed work spans pericardial disease, cardiac imaging, and cardiovascular complications of systemic illness, and includes publications in JACC Case Reports, BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, and Frontiers in Medicine.
Ronderos Botero D.M., Omar A.M.S., Pengo MF, Haider S.W., Latif H, Parati G, Pengo V, Cañas Arboleda A., Díaz M., Villaquirán-Torres C., Contreras J. and Chilimuri S. D-dimer trends elaborate the heterogeneity of risk in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a multi-national case series from different waves. Front. Med. 2023. 10:1205719.
Walter, D.J., Bigham G.E., Lahti, S., and Haider, S.W. Shifting perspectives in Coronary Involvement of Polyarteritis Nodosa: Case of 3-vessel Occlusion Treated with 4-vessel CABG and Review of Literature. [Accepted] BMC Cardiovascular Disorders.
Haider S.W., Patel A, Argulian E, Kwan TW. Successful Transcatheter Closure of a Rare Malaligned Atrial Septal Defect With a Membranous Chord. JACC Case Rep. 2021 Aug 19;3(10):1327-1331.
Isath, A., Padmanabhan, D., Haider, S.W., Siroky, G., Perimbeti, S., Correa, A., Chahal, A.A., Shenthar, J., Asirvatham, S., Mehta, D. Does the use of Intracardiac Echocardiography during Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation improve outcomes and cost? A Nationwide 14-year analysis from 2001 to 2014. A nationwide 14-year analysis from 2001 to 2014. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2021 Sep;61(3):461-468.
Correa, A., Haider, S.W., Aronow, W.S. Precision medicine in cardiac electrophysiology: where we are and where we need to go. Expert Review of Precision Medicine and Drug Development. 2020, 5:3, 165-180.
Cohen, R., Bavishi, C., Haider. S, Thankachen, J., Rozanski, A. The American Journal of Cardiology. Meta-Analysis of Relation of Vital Exhaustion to Cardiovascular Disease Events. 2017, Apr; 19 (8):1211-1216.
Kamani, L., Hamid, S.S., Ismail, F.W., Haider, S.W., Awan, S., Ahmed, A., Jafri, W. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad. Morbidity and Mortality Assessment In Acute Hepatitis-E. 2015, Jan; 27(1): 64-69.
Lassi, Z.S., Das, J.K., Haider, S.W., Salam R.A., Qazi S.A., Bhutta Z.A. Archives of Disease in Childhood, British Medical Journal. Systematic review on antibiotic therapy for pneumonia in children between 2 and 59 months of age. 2015, Jan; 99(7): 687-93.