During Heart Month, San Diego surgeon Dr. Alexandra Kharazi pushes earlier, decisive care for high-risk heart patients.
SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, February 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — During National Heart Health Awareness Month, San Diego cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Alexandra Kharazi is drawing national attention for her leadership in high-risk cardiac surgery and her advocacy for earlier, more decisive surgical care — particularly for patients often labeled “too high risk” for intervention.
In a specialty where women represent fewer than 10% of practicing heart and lung surgeons nationwide, Dr. Kharazi stands out not only for representation, but for the complexity and acuity of the cases she accepts. Her practice focuses on advanced cardiac patients requiring coronary artery bypass grafting, complex valve and aortic procedures, and mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock.
Rather than defining surgical candidacy by traditional risk labels alone, Dr. Kharazi has built her reputation on evaluating what is possible when strategy, timing, and advanced support systems are aligned.
“High risk is not a diagnosis — it’s a challenge to plan better,” said Dr. Kharazi. “Pressors are not a plan. Avoidance is not a strategy.”
By this, Dr. Kharazi means that keeping critically ill patients temporarily stable with medications alone is not enough; she advocates for earlier, decisive intervention and a clear path toward recovery rather than prolonged survival without progress.
Dr. Kharazi is recognized for advancing the use of mechanical circulatory support and preemptive stabilization strategies in cardiac surgery, particularly for patients with advanced heart failure and cardiogenic shock — populations historically steered toward comfort care or deemed inoperable.
Her leadership extends beyond the operating room. She is widely known for mentoring trainees, supporting women entering cardiothoracic surgery, and using public platforms to address persistent disparities in cardiovascular care, including the under-recognition and under-treatment of heart disease in women.
Dr. Kharazi was recently featured in The New York Times coverage on women in cardiothoracic surgery and has spoken at national forums, including meetings associated with Women in Thoracic Surgery. She also serves in leadership roles with the American Heart Association, including its Go Red for Women initiatives, and frequently appears on regional media outlets to translate complex heart health topics for the public.
She is the author of The Heart of Fear, a collection of surgical and human stories centered on adversity, courage, and perseverance in medicine.
Colleagues and patients alike describe Dr. Kharazi’s approach as technically aggressive, strategically thoughtful, and deeply patient-centered, with an emphasis on full-arc care — from emergency decision-making through recovery planning.
As Heart Health Awareness Month highlights cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in women, Dr. Kharazi continues to push for a shift in how complex cardiac patients are evaluated — and how boldly they are treated.
Danica McAdam
McAdam PR
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