Saad Kubba
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine - (Clinical Series Track)
Contact
Biography
Dr. Kubba is part of the Advanced Heart Disease and Transplant Cardiology team, Pulmonary Vascular and Pulmonary Hypertension Program, and provides general cardiology care as well as treating patients with complex heart conditions.
He utilizes both invasive and non-invasive study modalities in evaluating patients with complex heart disease and hemodynamics. His expertise includes valvular heart disease, exercise physiology, vascular medicine, advanced heart failure (both preserved and reduced ejection fraction), ventricular assist devices, transplant cardiology, right heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Kubba utilizes a multidisciplinary approach in managing cardiomyopathies including cardiac sarcoidosis, cardiac amyloidosis, hypertrophic, non-compaction, restrictive and dilated cardiomyopathy.
His board certifications include National Board of Echocardiography, Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology, Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Registered Physician Vascular Interpreter, American Board of Internal Medicine in Cardiovascular Disease, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology.
Dr. Kubba has extensive volunteer experience as a teacher and researcher.
In his spare time, Dr. Kubba enjoys swimming, running and calligraphy. He is fluent in English and Arabic.
Degrees
- M.D. Medical Doctor
- Weill Cornell, Doha, Qatar
Awards
- Alan T. Hirsch, MD, Travel Award
- Society Vascular Medicine, Spring 2023
Licensure & Certification
- Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology, American Board of Internal Medicine (2022)
Interests
Teaching
Pulmonary Vascular disease,Hemodynamics,Cardiac Imaging,Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure,Vascular Medicine
Research
Pulmonary Vascular disease,Hemodynamics,Cardiac Imaging,Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure,Vascular Medicine
Courses
No activities entered.
Scholarly Contributions
Journals/Publications
- Ajmal, M., Javed, B., Kubba, S., Singh, K., Samady, H., Lerman, A., & Corban, M. (2025). Contemporary Review of Myocardial Bridging for Internists. The American journal of medicine, 138(7), 1068-1073.More infoMyocardial bridging is a congenital coronary condition in which an epicardial coronary artery courses within the myocardial muscle instead of running on its surface. Its prevalence varies depending upon the diagnostic modality used for its testing. It is reported to be 40%-80% in autopsy studies, 58% on coronary artery computed tomography, and 0.5%-16% on invasive coronary angiography. Historically, myocardial bridging was considered to be a benign entity. Recent data have shown that this entity not only can cause chronic angina in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease but is also associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Indeed, this condition remains overlooked and not well understood among internal medicine physicians and even among many cardiologists. This review aimed to describe this disease entity and its clinical presentations, understand the anatomic and physiological mechanisms of angina related to this entity, and introduce a comprehensive algorithm for detailed evaluation and phenotype-guided treatment.
- Ajmal, M., Javed, B., Kubba, S., Singh, K., Samady, H., Lerman, A., & Corban, M. (2025). The Reply. The American journal of medicine, 138(9), e192-e193.
- Jothi, S., Insel, M., Claessen, G., Kubba, S., Howden, E. J., Ruiz-Carmona, S., Levine, T., & Rischard, F. P. (2025). Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis share similar pathophysiologic mechanisms of exercise limitation. Physiological reports, 13(17), e70535.More infoPost-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC or "long COVID") and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis (CFS/ME) share symptoms such as exertional dyspnea. We used exercise oxygen pathway analysis, comprising six parameters of oxygen transport and utilization, to identify limiting mechanisms in both conditions. Invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed on 15 PASC patients, 11 CFS/ME patients, and 11 controls. We evaluated the contributions of alveolar ventilation (V̇a), lung diffusion capacity (D ), cardiac output (Q̇), skeletal muscle diffusion capacity (D ), hemoglobin (Hb), and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (V) to peak oxygen consumption (V̇O). To simulate targeted interventions, each variable was sequentially normalized to assess its impact on V̇O. V̇O was significantly reduced in both PASC and CFS/ME compared to controls. Skeletal muscle O diffusion (D ) was the most impaired parameter in both patient groups (p = 0.01). Correcting D alone improved V̇O by 66% in PASC (p = 0.008) and 34.7% in CFS/ME (p = 0.06), suggesting a dominant role for peripheral O extraction in exercise limitation. Impaired skeletal muscle oxygen diffusion (D ) is a shared mechanism of exercise intolerance in PASC and CFS/ME and may represent a therapeutic target. However, our findings are limited by small sample size.
- Uhland, C., Gibbs, A., Insel, M., Kubba, S., & Rischard, F. P. (2025). Treatment Response and Survival in Methamphetamine-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Journal of the American Heart Association, 14(21), e042673.More infoMethamphetamine-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (Meth-PAH) represents a growing subset of PAH. Relative to idiopathic PAH (iPAH), it is unknown whether patients with Meth-PAH treated with continuous prostacyclin have similar outcomes and treatment response. The aims of this analysis are to evaluate survival, response to therapy, and right ventricle function in similarly treated patients with Meth-PAH and iPAH.
- Insel, M., El Aini, T., Woodhead, G., Wig, R., Kubba, S., Claessen, G., Howden, E., & Rischard, F. (2024). Post-Pulmonary Embolism Phenotypes Described by Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. Chest.More infoPost-pulmonary embolism (PE) dyspnea is common. Existing noninvasive studies have demonstrated that post-PE dyspnea is associated with elevations in right ventricular (RV) afterload, dead space ventilation, and deconditioning. We aimed to use invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (iCPET) parameters in patients with post-PE dyspnea to identify unique physiologic phenotypes.
- Vanderpool, R. R., Insel, M., Kubba, S., & Rischard, F. P. (2023). The Acute Effects of Prostacyclin on Right Ventricular Contractility and Pulmonary Artery Coupling. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.
- Hershman, M., Singh, A., Kubba, S., Ajmal, M., & Acharya, T. (2021). Statin-Induced Triad of Autoimmune Myocarditis, Myositis, and Transaminitis.. Case reports in cardiology, 2021, 6660362. doi:10.1155/2021/6660362More infoDespite well-established cardiovascular benefits, statins have been associated with myopathic side effects ranging from myalgias to rhabdomyolysis and autoimmune necrotizing myositis. Statins have not been previously shown to cause myocarditis. Our case highlights this rare entity.
- Rischard, F., Vanderpool, R., Kubba, S., Airhart, S., Wickstrom, K., Rosado-Toro, J., & Janardhanan, R. (2018). Abstract 17250: Underestimation of RV Volume by 3D Echocardiography in Patients With Severe PAH. Circulation, 138(Suppl_1). doi:10.1161/circ.138.suppl_1.17250
Proceedings Publications
- Rischard, F., Chatterjee, A., Insel, M., Kubba, S., Habib, N., Sher, N., Tandon, A., & Seckeler, M. (2022). To Drain or Not to Drain: Hemodynamic Characterization of Tamponade in PAH. In ATS.
- Rischard, F., Kubba, S., Uhland, C., Insel, M., & Stroud, S. (2022). Oxygen Utilization as a Primary Mediator of Age-Related Functional Decline in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. In ATS.
- Janardhanan, R., Desai, A., Kubba, S., Airhart, S., Wickstrom, K., Rosado-Toro, J., Vanderpool, R., & Rischard, F. (2019). The Inaccuracy of Right Ventricular 3d Echocardiography Is Accentuated by Disease Severity in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. In ATS.
- Yuan, J., Janardhanan, R., Kubba, S., Erickson, H., Vanderpool, R., Holmathchi, J., Puri, R., Airhart, S., Lizarraga, A., Hansen, L., Naeije, R., Garcia, J., & Rischard, F. (2019). Ratio of Stroke Volume to End-Systolic Volume Predicts Change in Right Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. In ATS.
Presentations
- Kubba, S. (2024, June). Combined Echocardiography - CPET. AZ Echo Meeting. Tucson Medical Center Marshall Conference Room: The Arizona Society of Echocardiography.
- Kubba, S. (2023, October). Pulmonary Hypertension. Sarver Heart Failure Symposium 2023. Health Sciences Innovation Building, Univeristy of Arizona, Tucson, AZ: Sarver Heart Center.
- Kubba, S. (2023, October). Timely Referral. Sarver Heart Center Symposium 2023. Health Sciences Innovation Building, Univeristy of Arizona, Tucson, AZ: Sarver Heart Center.
- Habib, N., Sher, A., Tandon, S., Kubba, S., Insel, M., Chatterjee, A., Seckeler, M., & Rischard, F. (2022, May). To Drain or Not to Drain: Hemodynamic Charcterization of Tamponade in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. American Thoracic Society 2022. San Francisco, CA.
- Kubba, S. (2022). Debate Presentation, Sodium Restriction in Heart Failure. American College of Cardiology - Arizona.
- Uhland, C., Insel, M., Stroud, S. C., Kubba, S., & Rischard, F. (2022, May). Oxygen Utilization as a Primary Mediator of Age-Related Functional Decline in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. American Thoracic Society 2022. San Francisco, CA.
Poster Presentations
- Ajmal, M., Kubba, S., Lee, K. S., Lerman, A., & Corban, M. (2022, November). Abstract 11774: Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Secondary to Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction and Microvascular Disease. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2022. Chicago, IL.
- Badagliacca, R., Rischard, F., Papa, S., Kubba, S., Vanderpool, R., Yuan, J., Garcia, J., Airhart, S., Poscia, R., Pezzuto, B., Manzi, G., Sciomer, S., Torre, R., Fedele, F., & Vizza, C. (2019, April). Clinical Implications of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Phenotypes Defined by Cluster Analysis. International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation 2019. Orlando, FL.
- Keeley Ravellette, K., Kubba, S., Airhart, S., Yuan, J., Rischard, F., & Vanderpool, R. (2019, April). Increased Pulmonary Vascular Impedance in Patients with Severe Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Experimental Biology 2019. Orlando, FL.
- Kubba, S., Airhart, S., Wickstrom, K., Rosado-Toro, J., Desai, A., Janardhanan, R., Vanderpool, R., & Rischard, F. (2019, May). The Inaccuracy of Right Ventricular 3d Echocardiography Is Accentuated by Disease Severity in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. American Thoracic Society 2019. Dallas, TX.
- Vanderpool, R., Holmathchi, J., Puri, R., Airhart, S., Erickson, H., Lizarraga, A., Hansen, L., Kubba, S., Janardhanan, R., Naeije, R., Garcia, J., Yuan, J., & Rischard, F. (2019, May). Ratio of Stroke Volume to End-Systolic Volume Predicts Change in Right Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. American Thoracic Society 2019. Dallas, TX.
- Kubba, S., Airhart, S., Wickstrom, K., Rosado-Toro, J., Janardhanan, R., Vanderpool, R., & Rischard, F. (2018, spring). Underestimation of RV Volume by 3D Echocardiography in Patients With Severe PAH. American Heart Association Annual Scientific Session 2018. Chicago, IL.
Other Teaching Materials
- Kubba, S. (2024. 2024 CCU Handbook for Internal Medicine Residents, Supervisor. University of Arizona.
