Merilyn Varghese, MD, MSc
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Cardiac Rehabilitation Utilization Among Veterans A Sex-Based Analysis
Varghese M, Han L, Gandhi P, Skanderson M, Wu W, Drwal K, Burg M, Kazi D, Gaffey A, Levy D, Feder S, Bean Mayberry B, Farmer M, Mattocks K, Brandt C, Bastian L, Akgün K. Cardiac Rehabilitation Utilization Among Veterans A Sex-Based Analysis. JACC Advances 2026, 5: 102615. PMID: 41713154, PMCID: PMC12933818, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102615.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchArea Deprivation IndexCR participationSocioeconomic statusCardiac rehabilitationWomen veteransArea deprivation index quartilePatient levelCR delivery modelsMental health risk factorsRural-urban statusElectronic health record databaseCommunity-level factorsHealth risk factorsLow socioeconomic statusCommunity-level characteristicsHealth record databaseMultivariate logistic regression modelLogistic regression modelsDeprivation indexRehabilitation utilizationCR sessionsNon-VeteransRetrospective cohort studyMen veteransDelivery models
2025
Disparities in Geographic Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Socially Vulnerable Communities
Chen E, Wu W, Han L, Gandhi P, Bastian L, Brandt C, Mattocks K, Oen‐Hsiao J, Varghese M. Disparities in Geographic Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Socially Vulnerable Communities. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2025, 14: e040815. PMID: 41065247, PMCID: PMC12684561, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.124.040815.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCardiac rehabilitationCR facilitiesSocial Vulnerability IndexGeographic accessRural countiesMetropolitan statusSocially vulnerable communitiesRural communitiesVulnerable communitiesHealth care infrastructureMultivariate zero-inflated negative binomial regression modelsContext of ruralityNegative binomial regression modelsZero-inflated negative binomial regression modelsBinomial regression modelsCR accessCare infrastructureGeographic disparitiesSpline termsUS countiesCounty populationMetropolitan countiesHealth insuranceModel of CRRegression models2025 AHA/ACC Statement on Cost/Value Methodology in Clinical Practice Guidelines (Update From 2014 Statement) A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Kazi D, Abdullah A, Arnold S, Basu A, Bellows B, Breathett K, Chew D, Cohen D, DeJong C, Heidenreich P, Hennessy S, Hernandez I, Isaza N, Maddox K, Navar A, Pandya A, Sims K, Varghese M, Zühlke L. 2025 AHA/ACC Statement on Cost/Value Methodology in Clinical Practice Guidelines (Update From 2014 Statement) A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 87: 1177-1206. PMID: 41003462, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.05.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCost-effectiveness analysisCost-effectiveness thresholdClinical practice guidelinesQuality-adjusted life yearsPopulation cardiovascular healthPractice guidelinesCEA methodologyHealth equity considerationsAmerican CollegeIncorporation of evidenceValue statementsHigh-quality evidenceLife yearsCardiovascular healthClinical guidelines2025 AHA/ACC Statement on Cost/Value Methodology in Clinical Practice Guidelines (Update From 2014 Statement): A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Kazi D, Abdullah A, Arnold S, Basu A, Bellows B, Breathett K, Chew D, Cohen D, DeJong C, Heidenreich P, Hennessy S, Hernandez I, Isaza N, Joynt Maddox K, Navar A, Pandya A, Sims K, Varghese M, Zühlke L. 2025 AHA/ACC Statement on Cost/Value Methodology in Clinical Practice Guidelines (Update From 2014 Statement): A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation 2025, 152: e332-e358. PMID: 40997143, DOI: 10.1161/cir.0000000000001377.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCost-effectiveness analysisCost-effectiveness thresholdClinical practice guidelinesQuality-adjusted life yearsPopulation cardiovascular healthPractice guidelinesCEA methodologyHealth equity considerationsAmerican CollegeIncorporation of evidenceValue statementsHigh-quality evidenceLife yearsCardiovascular healthClinical guidelinesASSOCIATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS WITH CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG WOMEN AND MEN VETERANS
Varghese M, Han L, Skanderson M, Wu W, Burg M, Gaffey A, Mattocks K, Gandhi P, Brandt C, Bastian L, Akgun K. ASSOCIATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS WITH CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG WOMEN AND MEN VETERANS. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 507. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(25)00991-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUsing Distributional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis to Improve Equity and Efficiency
Goshua G, Varghese M, Ito S, Pandya A. Using Distributional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis to Improve Equity and Efficiency. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 1376-1378. PMID: 40139895, PMCID: PMC12039621, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.01.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDISPARITIES IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
Chen E, Wu W, Varghese M. DISPARITIES IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PARTICIPATION AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 371. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(25)00855-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUse of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Essa M, Decker S, Liang L, Song Y, Varghese M, Figueroa J, Sperling L, Fonarow G, Keteyian S, Thompson M, Beatty A, Kazi D. Use of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 1614-1617. PMID: 40099778, PMCID: PMC13006187, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.03.497.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans
Varghese M, Wu W, Drwal K, Burg M, Kazi D, Gaffey A, Mattocks K, Brandt C, Bastian L, Gandhi P. Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans. Journal Of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation And Prevention 2025, 45: 78-84. PMID: 40014636, DOI: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000932.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLocal VA medical centersHome-based CRCardiac rehabilitationVA Medical CenterVeterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systemIn-personImpact of mental healthU.S. veteransIntegrated care networksSecondary prevention interventionsMedical CenterCardiac rehabilitation outcomesImprove exercise capacityRisk of cardiovascular diseaseAttend CRIncreased risk of cardiovascular diseaseRehabilitation outcomesCR utilizationCare networkMental healthPreventive interventionsRacial disparitiesDepressive symptomsHealthcare systemExercise capacity
2024
Geographic access to cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular disease outcomes: A study of rural United States counties
Chen E, Varghese M, Wu W. Geographic access to cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular disease outcomes: A study of rural United States counties. Current Problems In Cardiology 2024, 49: 102740. PMID: 38972468, DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2024.102740.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCoronary heart diseaseCardiac rehabilitationCardiovascular disease outcomesUnited States countiesHospitalization ratesStroke mortalityStroke deathsStroke hospitalizationsStates countiesRural-urban disparitiesCR facilitiesGeographic accessReduce barriersSocio-DemographicHeart failureDisease outcomeNonmetro countiesRural areasComorbid conditionsHospitalStroke outcomeRehabilitationHeart diseaseMortality rateStroke
Clinical Care
Overview
Merilyn Varghese, MD, is a cardiologist who cares for adults with a wide range of heart conditions. She focuses on preventing and treating diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels, using tools such as heart imaging and lifestyle guidance to help patients maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
“Many studies show that lifestyle is important. It sounds simple, but it can be hard to change,” Dr. Vaghese says. “We need to find ways to engage with people and keep them committed to making those important changes. That’s what drives me. It’s what I’m passionate about.”
As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Varghese studies ways to improve outcomes for people with heart disease, particularly among veterans. She explores strategies to refine treatment approaches and enhance long-term health for her patients.
Dr. Varghese received her medical training from Stony Brook School of Medicine. She completed an internal medicine internship and residency and pursued both a research fellowship and a general cardiology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Clinical Specialties
Cardiovascular Medicine; Cardiac Imaging