Cardiologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Chiropractor providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dentist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dermatologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Family Physician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
OB-GYN providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Ophthalmologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Orthopedic Surgeon providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Pediatrician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Physical Therapist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Podiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Psychiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Akash Makkar, MD, is the Director of Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates, with locations in Phoenix, Avondale, Tempe, Chandler, Sun City, Dewey, and Prescott Valley, Arizona. He is board certified in cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. He completed his electrophysiology fellowship at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, one of the top electrophysiology programs in the country. Prior to that, Dr. Makkar was on faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
Dr. Makkar underwent his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the University of Louisville, where he served as Chief Cardiology Fellow for the year 2009-2010. Dr. Makkar earned his medical degree from Kanpur University, India. He graduated from medical school in first place among all students garnering the sought-after Governor’s Medal for the best graduating medical student. He also did post-graduate education from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, one of the premier training hospitals in India.
Dr. Makkar is well-known for his excellent bedside manners as well as his skills for complex cardiac electrophysiology diagnosis and treatments. He is well respected within the cardiology community as an expert in his field and a physician other physicians trust with their patients. This has made him one of the busiest electrophysiologists in the state, but he never forgets why: Expert and skilled cardiac care focused on each patient’s individual needs.
Dr. Makkar is specially trained and an expert in performing the full range of electrophysiology procedures, including complex trans-septal catheter ablations, implantation of complex cardiac devices, leadless pacemakers, laser lead extractions, and left atrial appendage occlusion device (Watchman) Implantations. In fact, Dr. Makkar performs the highest number of ablations and laser extractions in the state of Arizona. Dr. Makkar is also an active researcher, having authored numerous abstracts and manuscripts. Dr. Makkar has been recognized for being one of the first electrophysiologists to perform fluoroless (no radiation/X-rays) atrial fibrillation ablations in the state of Arizona. He has also been voted into the prestigious PHOENIX Magazine Top Doc list for Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
Dr. Zaki Lababidi is a board certified cardiologist with over 25 years of cardiovascular disease management experience. He completed his internal medicine residency in 1992 at University of Illinois affiliated hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He served as chief resident from 1991 to 1992. He completed his cardiology fellowship at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, in 1995.
Dr. Lababidi was in private practice in Chicago, Illinois, for several years before completing his interventional cardiology fellowship in 2005 at the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. He participated heavily in the cell transplant research and therapy program while at Arizona Heart Institute during his fellowship.
In 2007, he founded Gilbert Cardiology in Arizona. Dr. Lababidi has served in administrative capacities as the director of the Department of Cardiology at Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, as well as the associate director for the Coronary Care Unit at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He has served as the director of echocardiography at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert, Arizona.
Over the past few years, Dr. Lababidi has participated in numerous cardiovascular research trials. He has actively participated in a Phase I study of intracardiac injections of autologous myoblasts into transmural scars, as well as the clinical evaluation of drug-eluting coronary stent systems.
Dr. Lababidi is currently a member and has been appointed to fellow in the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention.
Zaher Akkad, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, with four locations in Phoenix, Maricopa, Goodyear, and Chandler, Arizona. Dr. Akkad holds multiple board certifications, including internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography, as well as Endovascular Medicine.
Dr. Akkad was trained at Wayne State University-affiliated hospitals in Detroit, Michigan. Before joining Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, Dr. Akkad was an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Wayne State University. During this time, he was the Interim Director of the Echocardiography Lab.
He has published multiple textbook chapters in the fields of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and congestive heart failure.
Dr. Akkad’s clinical skills are outstanding. He is a multi-talented cardiologist, he is experienced in all aspects of non-invasive cardiology, including echocardiography, transesophageal echo, and nuclear cardiology. He is a fully-trained interventional cardiologist with superb skills in all aspects of cardiac Catheterization and stents also endovascular, carotid and peripheral interventions as well as pacemaker implantation. He is experienced in Structural Cardiac interventions including TAVR and Watchman procedures.
Dr. Akkad is very compassionate and has exceptional patient skills. His philosophy is to treat his patients as if they are family and provides prompt, cutting-edge, and evidence-based treatments. He is currently accepting new patients and eager to help them get healthy as soon as possible. Please check the testimonials from some of our patients below. On behalf of Dr. Akkad and his team, we look forward to taking care of you.
Dr. Shantha Kumar is an interventional cardiologist specializing in Interventional Cardiology and Adult Cardiology. He received his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Kumar is qualified to deliver comprehensive care for your cardiovascular system and heart. Dr. Kumar may see patients for symptoms like difficulty breathing, dizziness or chest pain. Cardiovascular issues that may be identified and cared for by a cardiologist can include congenital heart defects, angina, arrhythmia, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, heart aneurysms and coronary artery disease.
Banner Estrella Medical Center, Chief of Cardiology 2023 to present
Abrazo Hospital
Shishir Murarka, MD, is the Chief of Cardiology at Banner Estrella Medical Center.
Dr. Murarka is a board-certified interventional cardiologist at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona in the Phoenix and Goodyear locations. He is a young cardiologist with excellent clinical skills and patient rapport. He offers a fresh approach to cardiovascular care.
Dr. Murarka completed his training at the University of Maryland Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly and Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
He is board-certified in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular disease, internal medicine, and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Murarka has co-authored more than 20 publications in various medical journals, over a dozen abstracts, and two book chapters in the subjects of percutaneous mitral valve repair and recanalizing total occlusion in the periphery.
He is currently accepting new patients and looks forward to helping them on their health care journey.
Dr. Faran Bashir received his training at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio, University of California, Irvine, and the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. Bashir is board certified in the fields of cardiovascular diseases, Nuclear and Interventional Cardiology. Additionally, he has received specialized training in the performance of intracardiac echocardiography, percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defects, valvuloplasty and Watchman device implantation. He has presented several studies at national Cardiology meetings and has published many journal articles in major Cardiology journals.
Dr. Bashir is currently serving as Chief of Cardiology and CVT Surgery at Banner Estrella Medical Center. He also holds the position of Clinical Assistant professor of Medicine at Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix. He is a member of faculty both in the Cardiology as well as Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Programs and is actively involved in teaching future cardiologists. Dr. Bashir’s clinical skills are outstanding and he will be happy to provide timely and professional care.
Dr. Bashir is currently accepting new patients. Schedule an appointment by calling the office or booking a consultation online today.
Zaher Akkad, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, with four locations in Phoenix, Maricopa, Goodyear, and Chandler, Arizona. Dr. Akkad holds multiple board certifications, including internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography, as well as Endovascular Medicine.
Dr. Akkad was trained at Wayne State University-affiliated hospitals in Detroit, Michigan. Before joining Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, Dr. Akkad was an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Wayne State University. During this time, he was the Interim Director of the Echocardiography Lab.
He has published multiple textbook chapters in the fields of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and congestive heart failure.
Dr. Akkad’s clinical skills are outstanding. He is a multi-talented cardiologist, he is experienced in all aspects of non-invasive cardiology, including echocardiography, transesophageal echo, and nuclear cardiology. He is a fully-trained interventional cardiologist with superb skills in all aspects of cardiac Catheterization and stents also endovascular, carotid and peripheral interventions as well as pacemaker implantation. He is experienced in Structural Cardiac interventions including TAVR and Watchman procedures.
Dr. Akkad is very compassionate and has exceptional patient skills. His philosophy is to treat his patients as if they are family and provides prompt, cutting-edge, and evidence-based treatments. He is currently accepting new patients and eager to help them get healthy as soon as possible. Please check the testimonials from some of our patients below. On behalf of Dr. Akkad and his team, we look forward to taking care of you.
Zaher Akkad, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, with four locations in Phoenix, Maricopa, Goodyear, and Chandler, Arizona. Dr. Akkad holds multiple board certifications, including internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography, as well as Endovascular Medicine.
Dr. Akkad was trained at Wayne State University-affiliated hospitals in Detroit, Michigan. Before joining Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona, Dr. Akkad was an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Wayne State University. During this time, he was the Interim Director of the Echocardiography Lab.
He has published multiple textbook chapters in the fields of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and congestive heart failure.
Dr. Akkad’s clinical skills are outstanding. He is a multi-talented cardiologist, he is experienced in all aspects of non-invasive cardiology, including echocardiography, transesophageal echo, and nuclear cardiology. He is a fully-trained interventional cardiologist with superb skills in all aspects of cardiac Catheterization and stents also endovascular, carotid and peripheral interventions as well as pacemaker implantation. He is experienced in Structural Cardiac interventions including TAVR and Watchman procedures.
Dr. Akkad is very compassionate and has exceptional patient skills. His philosophy is to treat his patients as if they are family and provides prompt, cutting-edge, and evidence-based treatments. He is currently accepting new patients and eager to help them get healthy as soon as possible. Please check the testimonials from some of our patients below. On behalf of Dr. Akkad and his team, we look forward to taking care of you.
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