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
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Indemnity
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Navigate
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA EPO
- CIGNA PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-HMO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Medicare FFS
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Network OA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Choice POS II
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Beech Street PPO
- HighMark
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Medicare Direct
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- First Health PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- First Health PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Choice POS
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- TRICARE East Select
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Sentara Health
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Optimum Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- OA Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- TRICARE for Life East
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Passport
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open POS II
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Student Resources
- CIGNA Connect EPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
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.