Niraj Varma, MD, PhD, FRCP is a staff physician in the Section of Electrophysiology and Pacing in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute. Specializing in the treatment of heart arrhythmias, Dr. Varma’s special interests include ablation for atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, defibrillator implantation and biventricular pacing.
Dr. Varma earned his doctorate in medicine from Oxford University and bachelor of surgery from Edinburgh University in the UK, where he is a Fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and London. He completed his internship in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Dr. Varma underwent subspecialty training as a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Papworth and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University, followed by a fellowship in cardiology at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. This was followed by a research fellowship in basic science cardiology undertaken at Boston University and Harvard Medical School for which he was awarded a PhD from Oxford University. He completed his post-doctoral training as a fellow in clinical cardiac electrophysiology at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Dr. Varma joined Cleveland Clinic from Loyola University Medical Center where he was an electrophysiologist and an associate professor of medicine. Prior to that appointment he held similar positions at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and at Boston University Medical Center and Boston University.
In a career that spans nearly three decades, Dr. Varma has published hundreds of articles on pacing, arrhythmias and electrophysiology in leading peer-reviewed medical journals. He is the author of a textbook on electrocardiography and of numerous chapters in other textbooks related to his specialty.
Dr. Varma is a dedicated researcher who has received grants from the American Heart Association, a National Research Service Award, as well as industry funding for studies of innovative technologies. For example, he pioneered the use of remote monitoring technology of implantable devices, leading the landmark trial evaluating its clinical application. The results have been pivotal and adopted widely to improve the care of patients receiving such cardiac devices worldwide.
A frequent invited lecturer at scientific and educational symposia, Dr. Varma has presented on cardiac resynchronization therapy, implantable cardiac defibrillators, remote device monitoring and other related topics at leading local, national and international symposia. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Cardiac Failure as well as a reviewer for several leading medical journals, including Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research, Heart Rhythm, PACE and Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.
Dr. Varma is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
