Dr. Amin Yehya
Director of Heart Failure Research & Medical Director of Durable Mechanical Circulatory Support
Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Advanced Heart Failure, Transplant Cardiology & Cardiovascular Education
Sentara Heart Hospital · EVMS at Old Dominion University | Norfolk, VA
Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology · FACC · FHFSA · ISHLT-F
About
About Dr. Yehya
Dr. Amin Yehya is a nationally and internationally recognized physician–scientist, educator, and academic leader whose career is distinguished by sustained excellence in advanced heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, cardiovascular research, and medical education. He serves as Director of Heart Failure Research and Medical Director of the Durable Mechanical Circulatory Support Program at Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, his medical degree, and a Master of Science in Biochemistry at the American University of Beirut, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed Internal Medicine residency at Emory University, a Cardiovascular Disease fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia, and advanced training in Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology at Stanford University.
Research and Clinical Focus
His research portfolio spans heart failure therapeutics, mechanical circulatory support, transplant cardiology, device therapy, and health equity. He has served as principal investigator on multiple international multicenter clinical trials, with work published in Circulation: Heart Failure, JACC: Heart Failure, and the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, and many others.
Clinically, his interests encompass end-stage heart failure, durable and temporary mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation, device therapy, and cardiogenic shock care delivery.
Education and Mentorship
Dr. Yehya is the inaugural Program Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, where he helped found and launch the institution's first cardiovascular fellowship. As Associate Professor of Medicine, he mentors medical students at the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU as well as residents and fellows in training.
In 2025 he was elected Chair of the HFSA Education Committee for a three-year term. He is a planning committee member and faculty for Turning the Tide on Diabetes, the Virginia Statewide Advanced Heart Failure Symposium, and the Sentara Mid-Atlantic Conference, and an invited speaker at ACC, HFSA, AHA, and ISHLT.
Recognition and Public Voice
He received the HFSA Top Principal Investigator Research Award, was named to the Avant-garde Health top 5% list of physicians publishing leading-edge cardiology research, and has been recognized as a Top Transplant Cardiologist in Virginia. His commentary has been featured in TIME Magazine, Physicians Weekly, Men's Journal, and other national outlets.
Appointments
Current roles & academic appointments
Director, Heart Failure Research
Sentara Health
Sept 2024 – present
Medical Director, Durable Mechanical Circulatory Support Program
Sentara Heart Hospital
Jul 2019 – present
Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
Eastern Virginia Medical School at ODU
Jul 2024 – present
Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU
Sept 2022 – present
Clinical & research focus
Areas of expertise
Mechanical Circulatory Support
Medical direction of the durable LVAD program and temporary circulatory support strategies for end-stage heart failure.
Heart Failure & Transplant
Advanced heart failure management, transplant evaluation, and long-term post-transplant cardiology care.
Clinical Trials & Research
Principal investigator on international multicenter trials and investigator-initiated studies spanning device therapy and health equity.
Cardiovascular Education
Inaugural Program Director of the EVMS at ODU Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship; elected Chair of the HFSA Education Committee.
Education & training
Academic path
Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Fellowship
2013 – 2014Stanford University
Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
2010 – 2013Medical College of Georgia
Internal Medicine Residency
2007 – 2010Emory University School of Medicine
Master of Science, Biochemistry
2006 – 2007American University of Beirut
Doctor of Medicine
2002 – 2006American University of Beirut
Bachelor of Science, Chemistry
1999 – 2002American University of Beirut
Honors & awards
Recognition
- 2026Excellence in Site-Based Research Award — Heart Failure Collaboratory, with the American Heart Association
- 2025Top 5% elite list of physicians publishing leading-edge research in Cardiology — Avant-garde Health
- 2025Elected Chair, HFSA Education Committee (2025–2028)
- 2022–25Top Transplant Cardiologist in Virginia
- 2020Top Principal Investigator Research Award — HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting
- 2006Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society
Selected publications
Landmark research
Defining Clinically Meaningful Within-Patient Changes in Heart Failure: JACC: Heart Failure Position Statement
Yehya A, et al.
JACC: Heart Failure · 2026
Finerenone in Heart Failure with Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction
Solomon SD, ..., Yehya A, et al.
New England Journal of Medicine · 2024
Cardiac Myosin Activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Systolic Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF)
Teerlink JR, ..., Yehya A, et al.
New England Journal of Medicine · 2021
Angiotensin-Neprilysin Inhibition in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (PARAGON-HF)
Solomon SD, ..., Yehya A, et al.
New England Journal of Medicine · 2019
Revisiting ICD Therapy for Primary Prevention in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction
Yehya A, Lopez J, Sauer AJ, et al.
JACC: Heart Failure · 2025
Heart Failure Wired from Shock to Devices and Home: A New Era of Delivery
Yehya A, Echols MR.
US Cardiology Review · 2026
Active research
Ongoing clinical trials
Dr. Yehya serves as Principal Investigator, Sub-Investigator, and Expert Panel member on national and international multicenter trials at Sentara Heart Hospital — spanning heart failure therapeutics, amyloidosis, mechanical circulatory support, and pulmonary hypertension.
HF-POLARIS
Expert PanelPhase 3 randomized trial (Novo Nordisk) of NNC0487-0111 in patients with HFpEF/HFmrEF and obesity. Global & National Expert Panel.
Mar 2026 – present
CONFIRMATION-HF
Principal InvestigatorEfficacy and safety of finerenone combined with an SGLT2 inhibitor in hospitalized heart failure patients.
May 2025 – present
RENEU-HF
Principal InvestigatorPhase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of JK07 in adults with chronic heart failure.
Jan 2025 – present
REDEFINE-HF
Principal InvestigatorEfficacy and safety of finerenone on morbidity and mortality among hospitalized heart failure patients.
May 2024 – present
REVERSE-HF
Principal InvestigatorUltrafiltration vs IV diuretics in worsening heart failure — Aquadex System safety and effectiveness.
Sep 2023 – present
HERMES
Principal InvestigatorZiltivekimab vs placebo on morbidity and mortality in HFmrEF/HFpEF with systemic inflammation.
Jun 2023 – present
LVAD Weaning Registry
Principal InvestigatorRegistry for long-term outcomes after left ventricular assist device weaning.
May 2020 – present
TRITON-CM
Sub-InvestigatorPhase 3 global study of nucresiran in transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy.
Dec 2025 – present
ALIGN-AR
Sub-InvestigatorJenaValve Trilogy System for high-surgical-risk patients with symptomatic, severe aortic regurgitation.
Sep 2025 – present
JENA-VAD Registry
Sub-InvestigatorTAVR using JenaValve Trilogy for clinically significant aortic regurgitation in LVAD patients.
Sep 2025 – present
EASi-HF Preserved
Sub-InvestigatorPhase III trial of vicadrostat + empagliflozin vs placebo + empagliflozin in HFpEF (LVEF ≥40%).
Jan 2025 – present
COR-PH
Sub-InvestigatorPhase 1b study of COR-1389 on cardiopulmonary hemodynamics in pulmonary hypertension (PH-LHD).
Apr 2026 – present
EKO
Sub-InvestigatorDeep-learning detection of pulmonary hypertension and reduced LVEF via a digital stethoscope + 3-lead ECG.
May 2026 – present
Aortix CRS Pilot
Sub-InvestigatorSafety and performance of the Aortix System for intra-aortic mechanical circulatory support.
Nov 2021 – present
Author
My book
Heart Failure
What a Non-Heart Failure Specialist Needs to Know
Editor: Amin Yehya, MD MS · Nova Science Publishers · 2018
A practical reference for non-heart-failure specialists, covering the evolving understanding and therapy of heart failure — from diagnosis and pharmacologic management through device therapy and mechanical circulatory support.
Buy on Amazon →In the media
A trusted national voice
TIME Magazine
Why you feel anxious after drinking coffee
2025
Physicians Weekly
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cardiovascular Risk
2026
WAVY News
Heart patients beating the odds with LVADs
2025
Men's Journal
Cardiologists warn against alcohol to protect heart health
2026
TCTMD
Rethinking the evidence for ICDs in HFrEF
2024
VeryWell Health
Foods to avoid when taking heart medications
2025
Videos & talks
Watch & learn
ATTR-CM: Long-Term Durability of Acoramidis
August 20, 2026Featured on VuMedi, a video education platform used by over 450,000 clinicians to improve patient care and grow their practice.
VuMedi
Watch video →ESC 2026 Heart Failure Guidelines: What's New for Clinical Practice
2026Key changes in the 2026 ESC heart failure guidelines and their implications for clinical practice.
Heart Failure Academy
Watch video →Cardiologists Warn Against a Popular Drink to Protect Heart Health
July 7, 2026Featured in Men's Journal, MSN, Yahoo News, Sacramento Bee, and multiple other outlets.
Men's Journal
Watch video →
Connect
How to communicate with me
The best way to reach me depends on the nature of your message. Use the guide below to choose the right channel — it helps me respond faster and route your message to the right place.
Email — the best starting point
For research collaboration, speaking invitations, media inquiries, or general correspondence, email is the most reliable way to reach me.
Email meClinical referrals & appointments
For patient referrals, second opinions, or appointments, please contact the Sentara Advanced Heart Failure Center directly.
Sentara Advanced Heart Failure Center
600 Gresham Drive, Norfolk, VA 23507
Fellowship & mentorship
Medical students, residents, and prospective Cardiovascular Disease fellows are welcome to reach out via email or LinkedIn regarding mentorship and the EVMS at ODU fellowship program.
Speaking & media
For invited lectures, conference planning, or media commentary, email is preferred. You can also follow my public commentary on the channels below.
Find me online