About

Sameed Ahmed M Khatana, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Cardiovascular Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and as Associate Director of the Penn Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality and Evaluative Research Center. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science from Brown University, an MD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His professional focus encompasses cardiovascular outcomes, health disparities, and health policy, with a particular interest in evaluating and improving cardiovascular care and outcomes. His work involves analyzing the impact of health policies such as Medicaid expansion, examining disparities in care among vulnerable populations, and exploring the effects of social determinants like food insecurity and homelessness on cardiovascular health. Khatana's contributions include research on the association between economic prosperity and cardiovascular mortality, the effects of public reporting on cardiac procedures, and the role of telemedicine in outpatient cardiovascular care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research topics

• Environmental health
• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Endocrinology
• Gerontology
• Medical emergency
• Family medicine
• Emergency medicine
• Demography

Selected publications

• Permanent Supportive Housing and Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis

  Journal of General Internal Medicine · 2026-03-06

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: Veterans experiencing homelessness have a high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Identifying approaches that can improve the health of this population is crucial. OBJECTIVE: The Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) provides permanent supportive housing (PSH) assistance. We examined whether obtaining PSH through HUD-VASH was associated with changes in outcomes among Veterans with CVD experiencing homelessness. DESIGN: Using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach, outcomes among Veterans who received a HUD-VASH voucher and moved into PSH within one month (early group) were compared with those who received a voucher but remained unhoused for at least six months (delayed group). PARTICIPANTS: Veterans ≥ 18 years of age with CVD (coronary artery disease, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, ischemic stroke/cerebrovascular disease, or atrial fibrillation) who experienced ≥ 6 months of homelessness and received a HUD-VASH voucher in 2016 to 2019. INTERVENTION: Entering PSH after receiving a HUD-VASH voucher. MAIN MEASURES: Six-month probability of a cardiovascular ED visit or hospitalization. KEY RESULTS: Among 970 Veterans with CVD experiencing homelessness, 845 were in the early and 125 in the delayed PSH group. There was a significant decrease in the 6-month probability of cardiovascular ED visits or hospitalizations (16.3% [95% CI 13.9% - 18.7%] to 11.9% [95% CI 9.8% - 14.0%]) among Veterans who received a voucher and moved into PSH within one month, but no statistically significant change among Veterans who did not move into PSH for at least 6 months (13.4% [95% CI 8.0% - 18.8%] to 18.1% [95% CI 11.4% - 24.8%]) for a DID estimate of -9.1 (95% CI -17.7 - -0.5) percentage points, p = 0.04. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining PSH through HUD-VASH was associated with a significant decrease in the probability of CVD related ED visits or hospitalizations among Veterans with chronic CVD experiencing homelessness.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Trends in temperature-related deaths by educational attainment in the United States, 2010–2023

  Preventive Medicine · 2026-03-27

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: Heat and cold-related deaths are rising in the United States. Educational attainment provides a means for evaluating socioeconomic disparities. METHODS: Using United States national mortality data (2010-2023), we identified all heat and cold-related deaths, among adults ≥25 years old. Educational attainment was categorized as high school or less, at least some college, or more than college. Population information was obtained from the American Community Survey and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 adults were calculated. RESULTS: Heat and cold-related mortality rates were greatest among the least educated group and increased the fastest throughout the study period. Among those with a high school education or less, heat AAMR increased from 0.5 (95% CI 0.5, 0.6) to 1.8 (95% CI 1.7, 1.9) and cold AAMR from 1.0 (95% CI 1.0, 1.1) to 1.8 (95% CI 1.7, 1.9). Among the highest educated group, heat AAMR increased from 0.1 (95% CI 0.1, 0.2) to 0.2 (95% CI 0.2, 0.3) while cold AAMR was 0.4 (95% CI 0.3, 0.5) in 2010 and 0.3 (0.3, 0.4) in 2023. Findings were consistent across sub-groups of sex, region, and race/ethnicity. CONCLUSION: Temperature-related deaths disproportionately impacted Americans with lower educational attainment and disparities widened over the study period.

  PublisherDOI

• Housing Cost Burden and Outcomes Among Medicaid Beneficiaries With Heart Failure

  JAMA Health Forum · 2026-01-02 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Importance: Housing cost burden is at an all-time high in the US and may disproportionately affect health outcomes among low-income populations. Medicaid-insured individuals and those diagnosed with cardiovascular (CV) disease, such as heart failure (HF), may be especially at increased risk of adverse health outcomes associated with housing cost burden. Objective: To assess the association between area-level housing cost burden and the probability of CV-related hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits among Medicaid beneficiaries aged 19 to 64 years with HF. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used individual-level health care utilization data obtained from the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files (2018-2019). All zip codes in the US with resident Medicaid beneficiaries aged 19 to 64 years who had a preexisting diagnosis of HF and were continuously enrolled in 2019 were included except for those in Alabama, Rhode Island, and Utah due to data quality issues. Data were analyzed from October 2024 to October 2025. Exposure: Area-level housing cost burden was defined as the zip code-level proportion of housing units occupied by individuals with an annual household income less than $35 000 who spent 30% or more of their income on housing costs. Main Outcomes and Measures: The probability of a CV-related hospitalization and of a CV-related ED visit in 2019. Generalized estimating equation models were used to evaluate the association between housing cost burden and outcomes after adjusting for individual and area-level factors. Results: This study included 233 195 individuals (mean [SD] age, 51.5 [9.6] years, 107 447 female [46.1%]) who were living in 19 577 zip codes. The mean (SD) zip code housing cost burden was 67.4% (16.5%). In 2019, 42 886 beneficiaries (18.4%) had at least 1 CV-related hospitalization and 75 392 (32.3%) had an ED visit. After covariate adjustment, a 10-percentage point increase in housing cost burden was associated with higher odds of CV-related hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06) and ED visits (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04). There were also higher odds of HF-related hospitalizations (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that area-level housing cost burden may be associated with outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries with HF and highlights the need to investigate whether strategies that address housing affordability can play a role in improving health outcomes in this population.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Trends in Cardiovascular Mortality by Educational Attainment in the United States, 2010 to 2023

  JACC Advances · 2026-05-14

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Nonoptimal Temperature and Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

  Circulation · 2026-03-26 · 2 citations

  article

  Ambient temperature is a key environmental driver of cardiovascular health. With rising global temperatures and increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme temperature events, understanding the cardiovascular impacts of nonoptimal temperature is more urgent than ever. Short-term exposures to both heat and cold increase the risk of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure decompensation, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Climate, built environment, socioeconomic variables, physiological vulnerability, and systemic inequities exacerbate these risks. There is also a growing appreciation of the importance of contextual factors such as geographic location, housing, occupation, and individual-level exposure. A range of biological mechanisms, including autonomic and neurohormonal activation, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, hemoconcentration, and impaired thermoregulation, mediate temperature-related cardiovascular risk. Nonoptimal temperatures affect not only the incidence of cardiovascular disease but also health care access and delivery. They can increase demand for emergency care, disrupt operations, and pose challenges to the resilience and sustainability of health systems. Meanwhile, cardiovascular care contributes significantly to health care-related greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting a paradox in which efforts to protect cardiovascular health can indirectly contribute to climate-driven risks. This scientific statement synthesizes current knowledge of the relationship between nonoptimal temperature and cardiovascular health, highlights inequalities in exposure and outcomes, and identifies actionable strategies at the individual, community, health system, and public policy levels. Last, this scientific statement outlines significant research gaps and future priorities, including the need for improved exposure assessment, better understanding and measurement of the impact of long-term exposures, interactions with medications and coexposures, and identification of risk modifiers. Coordinated action is needed in research, clinical practice, and policy to mitigate the rising risks of nonoptimal temperatures on cardiovascular health in a changing climate.

  PublisherDOI

• Abstract 4367076: Trends in Cardiovascular Mortality by Educational Attainment in the United States, 2010-2023

  Circulation · 2025-11-03

  articleSenior author

  Background: Educational attainment is an important socioeconomic marker. Recent trends in cardiovascular (CV) mortality by educational attainment are unknown. This study examines CV mortality trends by educational attainment from 2010 to 2023 among US adults aged 25 years and older. Methods: Mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics were used to identify all CV deaths (ICD-10: I00-I99 ). Educational attainment from death certificates was categorized as high school or less, some college, and graduate/professional degree. Age-specific population estimates by education level were obtained from US Census data. Mortality rates were standardized to the 2010 Census population. Negative binomial models with year and education indicators were fit and the mean annual percent change (APC) was calculated. Piecewise linear models were fit to identify changes in trends over the study period. Estimates are presented with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Between 2010 and 2023, there were 10,552,366 CV deaths: 61.3% among adults with a high school education or less, 31.8% with some college, and 6.9% with a graduate/professional degree. Age-adjusted mortality was higher for the least educated compared to the other groups (Figure). The absolute difference in mortality rates between the highest and lowest educated groups was wider in 2023 than in 2010. Among men, the mean APC was 0.1% (0.08, 0.2) in the high school or less group, -0.6% (95% CI -0.7, -0.5) for some college, and -0.8% (-0.9, -0.7) for graduate/professional degrees. Among women, the mean APC was -0.1% (-0.2, -0.06), -1.4% (-1.4, -1.3), and -2.2% (-2.3, -2.0), respectively. For men in the high school or lower group, the APC in the 2019 to 2021 period was 4.2% (2.6%, 5.4%) and was -3.5% (-5.1, -1.5%) between 2021 and 2023, while for those with some college the APC was 1.9% (0.6%, 3.0%) in the 2019 to 2021 period and -3.0% (-4.7%, -1.2%) in the 2021 to 2023 period. Mortality rates were stable among the more than college group. Similar trends were noted among women. Conclusions: Educational disparities in CV mortality widened from 2010 to 2023, with mortality rates among adults in the lowest education group stagnant or increasing, while declining in the higher educated groups. A sharp pandemic era increase in mortality in the least educated group had not fully returned to prior levels by 2023. These findings highlight the growing disparity in CV disease by educational attainment in the US.

  PublisherDOI

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policies and Food Insecurity

  JAMA Health Forum · 2025-12-12

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Importance: Food insecurity (FI) is associated with poor health and has risen in the US. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest US food-purchasing assistance program. Policies related to eligibility assessment and administrative burden that impact SNAP participation vary between states. How such policies influence FI is not well known. Objectives: To evaluate the association between changes in state SNAP policies and county FI rates. Design, Setting, and Participants: This repeated cross-sectional study used annual county-level FI estimates from the Feeding America Map the Meal Gap dataset, state-level SNAP policy data from the US Department of Agriculture from 2009 to 2019, and data on economic and demographic measures from the US Census Bureau for county residents. Data were analyzed from August 2024 to August 2025. Exposures: Changes in state SNAP policies from 2009 to 2019. Due to incomplete policy data, the analysis was not extended beyond 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: County-level FI rates for individuals. An annual index of SNAP policy adoption was calculated, scaled from 0.1 to 10, with a higher level indicating a greater adoption of policies associated with SNAP participation. G-computation, a robust causal inference methodology, was used to evaluate the association between change in the SNAP index and state-level SNAP participation rates and county-level FI rates. The model accounted for demographic and clinical factors, state and year fixed effects, and baseline SNAP index levels. Results: Of a total of 3143 US counties, 3134 were included in the analysis. A 1-point increase in the SNAP policy index was associated with a 0.7-percentage point (pp; 95% CI, 0.3-1.2 pp; P = .002) higher state-level SNAP participation rate and a 0.1-pp (95% CI, 0.02-0.2 pp; P = .02) lower county-level FI rate from 2009 to 2019. In 2019, an estimated 6.5 million (95% CI, 3.8-9.1 million) fewer individuals would have experienced FI if all states had adopted policies equivalent to the most generous state in each year compared to if all states had adopted policies equivalent to the least generous state. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, adoption of state-level policies associated with higher SNAP participation was also associated with lower county-level FI rates. Policies that lower barriers to SNAP participation may help address rising FI rates observed in 2022 and 2023.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Stimulant-Involved Cardiovascular Disease Mortality and Life Years Lost, 2014 to 2023

  Substance Use Research and Treatment · 2025-03-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background: Cocaine and methamphetamine, highly cardiotoxic stimulants, are associated with increased risks of hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and stroke. Objectives: This study examines trends in stimulant-involved cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in the U.S. from 2014 to 2023, analyzing CVD subtypes, stimulant type, population characteristics, and years of life lost (YLL). Design: Trend analysis of age-adjusted mortality rates using serial cross-section mortality data from 2014 to 2023. Methods: Using National Vital Statistics System data, we analyzed age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) where CVD was the underlying cause of death and stimulants were contributing factors. We used Joinpoint regression to estimate average annual percent change (AAPC) and compare trends across groups. We calculated YLL based on age at death and demographic-specific life expectancies. Results: From 2014 to 2023, stimulant-involved CVD mortality rose sharply (AAPC: 10.1%), contrasting with stable rates of overall CVD mortality (AAPC: 0.2%). Methamphetamine-involved deaths increased faster (AAPC: 13.8%) than cocaine-involved deaths (AAPC: 6.5%). Among CVD subtypes, cerebrovascular disease showed the steepest rise (AAPC: 15.9%), followed by hypertensive (12.1%) and ischemic heart diseases (7.9%). Older adults (⩾65 years) exhibited the most pronounced increase in stimulant-involved CVD mortality (AAPC: 20.2%), while non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native populations experienced the highest AAPC among racial/ethnic groups (18.1%). Stimulant-involved CVD caused nearly 1 million years of YLL, predominantly among middle-aged males (687 430 YLL) and non-Hispanic White individuals (511 120 YLL). Methamphetamine involvement (580 570 YLL) exceeded that of cocaine (423 528 YLL). Within CVD types, ischemic heart disease was the leading cause (406 248 YLL). Conclusions: Stimulant-involved CVD mortality has surged, especially among non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic White populations and older adults, with cerebrovascular disease showing the largest increase among CVD subtypes. The findings reveal the importance of targeted prevention, screening, and intervention.

  PublisherDOI

• Variation in Likelihood of Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST‐Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Among US Hospitals

  Journal of the American Heart Association · 2025-02-19 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background There may be variability in willingness to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in higher‐risk patients who present with ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to describe current treatment selection patterns and hospital‐level variability. Methods and Results We identified patients presenting with STEMI with a culprit lesion on coronary angiography between January 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, using the NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) CPMI (Chest Pain–Myocardial Infarction) registry. We compared patient‐level characteristics of patients who did and did not undergo PCI at each hospital. There were 178 984 patients from 582 US hospitals presenting with STEMI who were included. Among patients with STEMI and a culprit lesion, 6180 did not undergo PCI (3.5%). Patients with a presentation of STEMI and a culprit lesion who did not undergo PCI were older (67 [interquartile range, 58–76]) years versus 62 ([interquartile range, 54–71] years, P <0.001), more likely to present with heart failure (15.0% versus 7.4%, P <0.001), and more likely to have cardiac arrest before arrival (9.7% versus 5.1%, P <0.001) than patients who underwent PCI. Patients who did not undergo PCI had higher predicted mortality rates (12.5%±17.9% versus 6.5%±11.5%, P <0.001) and observed mortality rates (21.7% versus 6.4%, P <0.001) compared with patients who underwent PCI. Conclusions There is variability in the percentage of patients with culprit lesions on invasive coronary angiography undergoing PCI for STEMI, with 3.5% of patients with STEMI not receiving PCI overall, and >5% of patients not undergoing PCI in a quarter of US hospitals. Differences in observed versus predicted mortality rates for patients who did or did not undergo PCI may highlight the effects of risk‐avoidant behavior.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cardiometabolic deaths in black and white men: Tracing the risks from early- to mid-adulthood

  Preventive Medicine Reports · 2025-02-06 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  This study aimed to estimate and compare cardiometabolic disease (CMD) mortality in U.S. Black and White men during the transition from early adulthood to middle age. Using 2022 National Vital Statistics System data and standard period life table methods, we estimated the risk of CMD death in hypothetical cohorts of Black and White men from age 25 to 45 years. We estimated cumulative risk, excess mortality, years of lost life (YLL), and proportion of deaths due to CMD, stratifying by metabolic and cardiovascular disease. Of the 325,134 Black men aged 25 years in the initial cohort, the cumulative risk of cardiometabolic death before age 45 was one in 63 individuals or 1.58 %. For White men, the risks were markedly lower. Of the 1,185,384 White men aged 25 years in the initial cohort, the cumulative risk of cardiometabolic death before age 45 was one in 158 individuals or 0.63 %. The study also found that of the 5141 expected CMD deaths in the Black cohort, 3090 or 60.10 % were excess deaths relative to the White cohort. Additionally, the proportion of all deaths due to CMD among Black men was 19.15 % rising from 6.02 % at age 25 to 38.00 % at age 45, compared with 11.10 % among White men, increasing from 4.57 % at age 25 to 19.79 % at age 45. The YLL for Black men averaged 6.72 months per person while White men averaged 2.94 months. This investigation shows profound racial disparities in CMD mortality from early to mid-adulthood. • Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) mortality risk in young adults is often overlooked • Period life tables provide reliable estimates of age-specific CMD mortality risk • One in 63 Black men aged 25 years is expected to die from CMD by age 45 • One in 158 White men aged 25 years is expected to die from CMD by age 45 • Six in ten CMD deaths of younger Black men were excess deaths relative to White men

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Frequent coauthors

• Peter W. Groeneveld

  Philadelphia VA Medical Center

  178 shared

• Ashwin S. Nathan

  169 shared

• Jay Giri

  University of Pennsylvania

  159 shared

• Lauren A. Eberly

  University of Pennsylvania

  109 shared

• Elias J. Dayoub

  Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

  90 shared

• Howard Julien

  University of Pennsylvania

  89 shared

• Alexander C. Fanaroff

  University of Pennsylvania

  81 shared

• Tracey H. Taveira

  Providence College

  56 shared

Education

• MD

  University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

  2012

• BS

  Brown University

  2007