Gary J. Balady, MD

Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Balady is a Professor of Medicine and an Assistant Dean of Admissions at Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, and is the Director of Preventive Cardiology and Director of the Non Invasive Cardiovascular Laboratories at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Balady is a fellow of the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Dr. Balady serves the American Heart Association both nationally and locally by leading and/or participating on several key committees involved with exercise, physical activity and preventive cardiology.

He is Past Chairman of the AHA’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, Past President of the AHA Greater Boston Division, and Past President of the Board of Directors of the AHA Founders Affiliate. He has either chaired or been a member of several writing groups of the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, which generate guidelines regarding exercise testing and training, and preventive cardiology. Dr. Balady’s research interests focus on exercise testing and training of cardiac patients, with a particular emphasis on the physiologic changes that occur in the cardiovascular system with regular exercise, as well as assessment of outcomes after cardiac rehabilitation. He has served for 12 years as associate editor for the journal Circulation, and is past Editor in Chief for the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation.

Research at the Preventive Cardiology Center and Stress Testing Laboratories focus on several areas that include the evaluation of clinical outcomes of patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs with a special emphasis on women, racial minorities, and persons with diabetes, obesity, heart failure, and peripheral arterial disease. Evaluation of the physiologic changes that occur after moderate intensity exercise and studies that aim to evaluate and develop exercise-testing protocols are ongoing.

Publications

  • Published 2/26/2025

    Washington-Plaskett T, Gilman JP, Quinn E, Zombeck S, Balady G. Evaluating for Health Equity in a Safety Net Hospital: Socioeconomic Status, Adherence, and Outcomes in Cardiac Rehabilitation. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2025 Mar 01; 45(2):110-117. PMID: 39786866.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/19/2021

    Imran TF, Wang N, Zombeck S, Balady GJ. Mobile Technology Improves Adherence to Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Propensity Score-Matched Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 08 03; 10(15):e020482. PMID: 34278801.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/1/2020

    Ades PA, Balady GJ, Berra K, Franklin BA, Froelicher V, Hamm LF, Kaminsky LA, Williams MA. The Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention at 40 Years and Its Role in the Evolution of Cardiac Rehabilitation. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2020 01; 40(1):2-8. PMID: 31868839.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/11/2019

    Kalesan B, Nicewarner H, Intwala S, Leung C, Balady GJ. Pre-operative stress testing in the evaluation of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019; 14(7):e0219145. PMID: 31295274.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/1/2018

    Thomas RJ, Balady G, Banka G, Beckie TM, Chiu J, Gokak S, Ho PM, Keteyian SJ, King M, Lui K, Pack Q, Sanderson BK, Wang TY. 2018 ACC/AHA Clinical Performance and Quality Measures for Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Performance Measures. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2018 04; 11(4):e000037. PMID: 29599285.

    Read at: PubMed

Other Positions

  • Assistant Dean, Admissions
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Director, Non Invasive Cardiovascular Laboratories
    Boston Medical Center
  • Member, Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute
    Boston University

Education

  • Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - New Brunswick, MD