Niraj Varma, MD, PhD

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.

Education & Professional Highlights

Appointed
2008

Education & Fellowships

Fellowship - Beth Israel Hospital
Cardiology Electrophysiology
Boston, MA USA
1996

Medical Education - Boston University
Cardiology
Boston, MA USA
1994

Fellowship - St. Bartholomew's Hospital
Cardiology
London,
1992

Fellowship - Addenbrooke's Hospital
Pulmonary & Intensive Care Medicine
Cambridge,
1990

Residency - The General Infirmary - Leeds University
Medicine
Leeds,
1987

Internship - The Royal Infirmary
Medicine
Edinburgh,
1985

Medical Education - University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh,
1984

Undergraduate - University of Oxford
Oxford,
1981

Certifications

Internal Medicine - Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Internal Medicine - Cardiovascular Disease

Specialty Interests

Abnormal Heart Rhythms, Long QT Syndrome, Atrial Fibrillation, Supraventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Tachycardia, Biventricular Pacemaker, Catheter Ablation, Lead Extraction, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, Pacemaker Implant, Pulmonary Vein Isolation Ablation

Research & Publications

See publications for Niraj Varma, MD, PhD.

(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)

Industry Relationships

Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.

To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.

As of 11/17/2023, Dr. Varma has reported the financial relationships with the companies listed below. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.

Consulting and/or Speaking. Dr. Varma receives fees of $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) as a paid consultant, speaker or as a member of an advisory committee for the following companies:

Impulse Dynamics
St. Jude Medical, Inc.
HeartBeam, Inc.

Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.

* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.

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