Dr. Aseem Vashist

Home  /  Dr. Aseem Vashist

AseemVashist2Dr. Aseem Vashist, M.D, FACC, FASNC, FSCAI
Email: 

Specialty:

Interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology and echocardiography.

Areas of Focus:

I specialize in treating the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, which include not only coronary artery disease but also vasculararterial and venous disease. I have undergone specialized training for laser vein ablation therapy. I am one of the few interventional cardiologists in the Hartford area who perform cardiac catheterizations via the radial artery, which is relatively a new technique.

General Comments:

After completing a fellowship in Cardiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, I moved to Yale to pursue additional subspecialty training in non-invasive cardiology and was recruited as a faculty member at Yale School of Medicine at the rank of Assistant Professor of Medicine. At Yale, I held multiple teaching assignments including directing the cardiovascular module curriculum for the medical school and in the training of the medical residents and fellows in training. I then completed training in Interventional Cardiology and peripheral Interventions from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and currently hold rank of Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology (CBNC), the organization that certifies cardiologists in Nuclear Cardiology nationally and internationally. I have been the author of numerous original research papers and review articles that have been published in peer-review journals. I have also been on the panel of experts and have served as an author and as a reviewer for guidelines which are used by cardiologists nationally and internationally to practice medicine.
I have privileges to treat patients in all the major area hospitals including St. Francis Hospital, Hartford Hospital and at the University of Connecticut hospital center.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Dr. Aseem Vashist, M.D., FACC, FASNC, FSCAI

Education and Medical Training:

Premedical Education and High School (ISC degree)
Mount St. Mary’s School; 1990

Medical Degree (M.B.B.S) and Rotating Internship
Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, India; 1996

Residency/Fellowship:

Intern, Internal Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; 1996-1997

Resident, Internal Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; 1997-1999

Fellowship, Cardiovascular Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; 1999 –2002

Fellowship, Nuclear Cardiology, Yale University School of Medicine,
New Haven, CT; 2002- 2003

Level II training CT angiography, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Dec 2005
Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology, University of Connecticut, CT; 2008-2009

Career/Academic Positions:

  • Associate Research Scientist in Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; 2003-2004
  • Instructor in Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Yale School Medicine, New Haven, CT; 2004-2005
  • Assistant Professor (Cardiovascular Medicine), Division of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine; 2005-2008
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor (Cardiovascular Medicine), Division of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine; 2008-2009
  • Hartford Cardiology Group-St. Francis Hospital, University of Connecticut; 2009-present
  • Assistant Clinical Professor (Cardiovascular Medicine), University of Connecticut; 2010-present

Administrative Positions:

  • Staff Physician, Division of Cardiology, YNHH and VACT Healthcare System; 2003-2008
  • Interim Director, Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine, VACT Healthcare System; 2005-2007
  • Director, Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine, VACT Healthcare System; 2007-2008

Board Certifications:

  • Diplomate: American Board of Internal Medicine (Interventional Cardiology) 2009
  • Diplomate: American Board of Internal Medicine, August 1999 and 2009.
  • Diplomate: American Board of Internal Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine), November 2002.
  • Board Certification in Nuclear Cardiology from the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology (CBNC)-2003
  • Board Certification in Echocardiography from the National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) -2004

Teaching Responsibilities:

  • Director, ECG Module Course for Yale Medical Students at VACT; 2004-2008
  • Module Director, Mechanisms of Disease Course: Organs/Systems, Yale School of Medicine; 2006-2008
  • Nuclear Cardiology Fellowship program; 2004-2008
  • Core Cardiology Fellowship program; 2004-2008
  • Internal Medicine Residency program; 2004-2008

Professional Honors or Recognition:

A) International/National/Regional

  • Physician Recognition Award from the American Medical Association (AMA), 2001
  • Associate Certificate of Merit, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), 2000.
  • Associate Certificate of Merit, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), 1998


B) University

  • Chairman of Medicine Certificate of Excellence, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1998 for Grand Round presentation on “Pregnancy Induced Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction in a patient with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy”.
  • Dean’s letter of Excellence for Academic achievement, Armed Forces Medical College, March 1996.
  • Basu Memorial Trophy and Certificate of Merit for Standing First in College and passing with Distinction in Ophthalmology at the Final MBBS University Examination, October 1994.
  • Chief of Air Staff Silver Medal for Standing First in College in Physiology at the First MBBS University Examination, October 1991.
  • Research Award by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) “Effect of Smoking on Lung Functions in Young Adults”, 1990
  • Chief Fellow, Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
  • House-staff Representative, Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
  • House-staff Representative, Quality Assurance Committee, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
  • House-staff Representative Post-graduate Medical Education Committee, Bronx Lebanon Hospital-Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York

Research Projects:

  • Principal Investigator at Yale for the multicenter trial “A study of Myocardial Perfusion and Coronary Anatomy Imaging Roles in CAD (SPARC)”.
  • Co-Investigator for Phase 1 Open Label Pilot Study (Department of Medicine; Co-PI Surgery George Tellides, M.D.) to evaluate the safety, efficacy and Tolerability of Anginera for adults with left ventricular dysfunction and reversible myocardial ischemia undergoing CABG surgery.

Invited Lectures/Seminars/Courses:

  • Overview of Tracer Kinetics: Nuclear Cardiology for the Technologist. Sponsored by the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) , Baltimore, April 30, 2005
  • Responding to Stress Laboratory Issues: Nuclear Cardiology for the Technologist. Sponsored by the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) , Baltimore, April 30, 2005
  • Patient Related Artifacts on SPECT imaging: Invited as a faculty speaker to speak at the Annual American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) national meeting, Seattle, October 2, 2005
  • Read with the Expert session for Fellows in Training session at American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting, Atlanta, 2006
  • Artifacts in Nuclear Imaging: Fellows in Training session at American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting, Atlanta, 2006
  • Radiotracer Kinetics: Faculty speaker, 1st Yale Cardiovascular Imaging Symposium, New Haven, June 2007
  • Coronary Calcium and CT angiography: Past, Present and Future-Clinical Implications. Faculty speaker, 1st Yale Cardiovascular Imaging Symposium, New Haven, June 2007
  • Read with the Experts session: 1st Yale Cardiovascular Imaging Symposium, New Haven, June 2007
  • Invited for Read with the Expert session at Annual American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) national meeting, San Diego, 2007
  • Moderator, Cardiac CT session, at Annual American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) national meeting, San Diego, 2007

Professional Service:

  • Reviewer for Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine Communications, American Journal of Cardiology; 2005-present
  • Member, Nuclear Cardiology Foundation Research Awards Committee; 2006-present
  • Board of Directors, CBNC; 2010-present

Professional Organizations:

Invited Memberships:

  • Member, Quality Assurance Committee, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
  • Member, Communications Committee, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
  • Member, Leadership Development Program, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
  • Member, Certificate Board for Nuclear Cardiology Exam Committee (CBNC) Exam Committee
  • Member, Scientific Council of the American Heart Association (AHA)
  • Relevance Reviewer for Cardiovascular Examination, American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)

Professional Society Memberships:

  • Fellow, Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)
  • Fellow, American Society Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
  • Fellow, American College of Cardiology (ACC)
  • Member, American College of Physicians (ACP)

Relevant Bibliography:

    • National/Regional Guidelines and Consensus Statements:
      • Adenosine Stress protocols for myocardial perfusion imaging: Member of Reviewing committee for this guideline update. J Nuc Cardiol 2007;14:415-6
      • Ward RP, Mallah MH, Grossman GB, Hansen CL, Hendel RC, Kerwin TC,  McCallister BD, Mehta R, Polk DM, Tilkemeier, Vashist A, Wolinsky DG, Ficaro EP. American Society of Nuclear Cardiology review of the ACCF/ASNC Appropriateness criteria for single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI). J Nucl Cardiol 2008 ;14 (6):e26-38
      • Des Prez RD, Dahlberg ST, Einstein AJ, Grossman GB, Henzlova MJ, Mahenthiran J, Vashist A. Stress-only Myocardial Perfusion Imaging J Nuc Cardiol 16(2):329, 2009
      • ASNC Imaging Guidelines for Nuclear Cardiology Procedures: Member of Reviewing committee for this guideline update. In press J Nuc Cardiol 2010

Original Articles/Peer Reviewed Manuscripts:

      • Kazimuddin M, Vashist A, Basher AW, Brown EJ Jr, Alhaddad IA. Pregnancy Induced Severe Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction In A Patient With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Clin Cardiol: 1998; 21:848-850.
      • Bhalodkar NC, Blum S, Vashist A. Association between Diabetes, Hypertension and diminished heart rate in adenosine myocardial perfusion imaging. Heart Disease: New Trends in Research, Diagnosis and Treatment: 2001; 2:133-139
      • Vashist A, Heller EN, Blum S, Brown EJ, Bhalodkar NC. Association of Heart rate response with scan and Left Ventricular Function on Adenosine Myocardial Perfusion Imaging. Am J Cardiol 2002; 89:174-177
      • Vashist A, Victoria A, Blum S, Heller EN. Do Electrocardiographic changes with adenosine myocardial perfusion imaging predict ischaemia in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy? Nuc Med Commun 2004; 25:553-556
      • Shah R, Burg MM, Vashist A, Collins  D, Liu J, Jadbabaie F, Graeber B, Earley C, Lampert R, Soufer R. C-Reactive Protein and Vulnerability to Mental Stress-Induced Myocardial Ischemia. Mol Med. 2006; 12(11-12):269-74.
      • Vashist A, Collins D, Prasad Y, Blum S, Heller EN. Does Cardiac SPECT using Attenuation and Scatter Correction Accurately Predict Coronary Artery Disease in a Minority Women Population? Med Sci Mon 2007; 13(9): 386-90
      • Burg MM, Graeber B, Vashist A, Collins  D, Earley C Liu J, Lampert R, Soufer R. Non-Invasive Detection of Risk for Emotion Provoked Myocardial Ischemia Psychosom Med. 2009; 71(1): 14–20
      • SPARC Investigators.The study of myocardial perfusion and coronary anatomy imaging roles in CAD (SPARC): design, rationale, and baseline patient characteristics of a prospective, multicenter observational registry comparing PET, SPECT, and CTA for resource utilization and clinical outcomes The study of myocardial perfusion and coronary anatomy imaging roles in CAD (SPARC): design, rationale, and baseline patient characteristics of a prospective, multicenter observational registry comparing PET, SPECT, and CTA for resource utilization and clinical outcomes. J Nucl Cardiol 2009;16:935–48.

Review Articles:

      • Vashist A, Heller EN, Brown EJ Jr, Alhaddad IA. Renal Artery Stenosis: A Cardiovascular Perspective. Am Heart J 2002; 143:559-564
      • Vashist A, Arrighi JA, Soufer R. Mechanistic and Methodological Considerations for the Imaging of Mental Stress Ischemia. Clinical Nuclear Cardiology: State of the Art and Future Directions, 3rd Edition; Editor Zaret and Beller;2004
      • Vashist A, Abbott BG. Non-invasive Cardiac Imaging in the Evaluation of Suspected Acute Coronary Syndromes. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2005; 3(3):473-486
      • Burg MM, Vashist A, Soufer R. Mental Stress Ischemia: Present Status and Future Goals. J Nuc Cardiol 2005;12(3): 523-29
      • Marcoff L, Varma P, Vashist A. Out of Left Field. Am J Med 2008; 121: 589-91
      • Vashist A, Bonow RO: Screening for Coronary Atherescleroisis with Coronary Calcium Scoring: The “Shape” of things to come? J Nuc Cardiol 2008; 15: 162-9

Abstracts:

    • Vashist A, Lavania AK. Effect of smoking on lung function in young adults. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), November 1994.
    • Vashist A, Kazimuddin M, Basher AW, Delmont J, Nanjappa N, Bhargava N, Alhaddad IA.  Pregnancy Induced Severe Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction In A Patient With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. ACP Downstate Associates Poster Competition, 1998.
    • Vashist A, Blum S, Bhalodkar NC. Decrease in Heart Rate Variability as a Predictor of Abnormal Scan on Adenosine Myocardial Perfusion Imaging. J Nucl Cardiol: 2001;8(1): S3
    • Bhalodkar NC, Blum S, Vashist A. Association Between Diabetes, Hypertension and Decrease in Heart Rate Variability in Adenosine Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI). Heart Disease: New Trends in Research, Diagnosis and Treatment: 2001; 2:133.
    • Vashist A, Victoria A, Blum S, Heller EN. Do Electrocardiographic changes with adenosine myocardial perfusion imaging predict ischemia in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy? J Nucl Med: 2002; 43(5): 174P
    • Prasad Y, Vashist A, Blum S, Sagar P, Heller EN. Cardiac SPECT Accurately Predicts Coronary Artery Disease in a Minor Female Population. J Nucl Cardiol: 2004; 11 (4):S17.
    • Vashist A, Arrighi JA, Lampert R, Burg M, Soufer R. Differential impact of Parasympathetic Withdrawal to Mental Stress Ischemia as Assessed by Noninvasive Evaluation of Myocardial Perfusion and/or Function. J Nucl Cardiol: 2004; 11(4): S 21.
    • Soufer R, Lane R, Burg MM, Vashist A. Stress and Coronary Heart Disease: The Neurocardiac Interaction. Symposium 1197 at the 63rd Annual American Psychosomatic Society Meeting (APS): Psychosomatic Medicine; A8:2005
    • Burg MM,  Vashist A,  Jadbabaie F, Blumenfeld H, Soufer R. Central Nervous System (CNS) Activity During Mental Stress As a Function Of Trait Based Measures Of Anger: A Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Study. Psychosomatic Medicine; Abstract 1534;A8: 2005
    • Vashist A, Burg MM, Jadbabaie F, Blumenfeld H, Lampert R, Graeber B, Soufer R. Central Nervous System Correlates Of Myocardial Ischemia: Neurocardiac Distinctions Between Mental Stress And Dobutamine Provocation. Psychosomatic Medicine; Abstract 1539;A8:2005
    • Increase in Peripheral Arterial Tone Predicts Myocardial Ischemia Induced by Mental Stress. Graeber B, Burg MM, Vashist A, Earley C, Liu J, and Soufer R; Yale J Biol Med. 2006 June; 79(2): 43–81