Leslie Ammabel Ynalvez, MD
Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine
About Dr. Leslie Ammabel Ynalvez
Leslie Ynalvez, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Cardiology. Dr. Ynalvez graduated medical school from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (2018). She then completed her Internal Medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine (2021) and Cardiovascular Disease fellowship training at the University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School (2024), where she served as chief cardiology fellow.
During her training, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and was the recipient of the Golden Stethoscope Award, Resident-as-Teacher Award, Smythe Award for Excellence in Resident Education, and Outstanding Clinical Fellow Award during all three years of fellowship training. Her clinical and research interests include preventative cardio-oncology, cancer-therapy related ischemic heart disease, echocardiography, and medical education.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2018 | The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, US, MD |
| 2013 | The University of Texas at Austin, US, Cell and Molecular Biology, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2021-2024 | Fellowship, Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston |
| 2018-2021 | Residency, Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Chief Fellow, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 2023 - 2024
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Outstanding Imaging Fellow, 2023-2024, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Cardiology |
| 2024 | Outstanding Clinical Fellow, 2023-2024, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program |
| 2023 | Outstanding Clinical Fellow, 2022-2023, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program |
| 2023 | Clinical Fellow of the Year, 2022-2023, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Christus Spohn Hospital – Shoreline |
| 2022 | Smythe Award for Excellence in Resident Education, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Internal Medicine Residency Program |
| 2022 | Outstanding Clinical Fellow, 2021-2022, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program |
| 2022 | Outstanding Fellow of the Year, 2021-2022, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Internal Medicine Residency Program |
| 2021 | Outstanding Resident Award, Baylor College of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Harris Health System |
| 2021 | Resident-As-Teacher Award, Baylor College of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program |
| 2019 | Golden Stethoscope Award, Baylor College of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Harris Health System, Smith Clinic |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Other Articles
- Desai S, Aziz MK, Marmagkiolis K, Cilingiroglu M, Iliescu C, Ynalvez LA Management of Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients with Cancer. Curr Cardiol Rep 27(1):65, 2025. PMID: 40035980.
- Walser E, Nance A, Ynalvez L, Yong S, Aoughsten JS, Eyzaguirre EJ, Williams SB Focal Laser Ablation of Prostate Cancer: Results in 120 Patients with Low- to Intermediate-Risk Disease. J Vasc Interv Radiol 30(3):401-409, 2019. PMID: 30819483.
- Ynalvez LA, Kosarek CD, Kerr PS, Mahmoud AM, Eyzaguirre EJ, Orihuela E, Sonstein JN, Williams SB Atypical small acinar proliferation at index prostate biopsy: rethinking the re-biopsy paradigm. Int Urol Nephrol 50(1):1-6, 2018. PMID: 29064003.
- Williams SB, Huo J, Chamie K, Smaldone MC, Kosarek CD, Fang JE, Ynalvez LA, Kim SP, Hoffman KE, Giordano SH, Chapin BF Discerning the survival advantage among patients with prostate cancer who undergo radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy: the limitations of cancer registry data. Cancer 123(9):1617-1624, 2017. PMID: 28099688.
- Calvi C, Podowski M, Lopez-Mercado A, Metzger S, Misono K, Malinina A, Dikeman D, Poonyagariyon H, Ynalvez L, Derakhshandeh R, Le A, Merchant M, Schwall R, Neptune ER Hepatocyte Growth Factor, a determinant of airspace homeostasis in the murine lung. PLoS Genetics 9(2), 2013. PMID: 23459311.
Editorials
- Ynalvez LA, Deswal, A, University ACP. In adults with HF with preserved ejection fraction and obesity, tirzepatide reduced a composite of CV death or worsening HF at 2 y. Ann Intern Med 178(4):JC43, 2025. PMID: 40163881.
- Ynalvez, LA, Marmagkiolis, K, Yusuf, SW, Iliescu, C. Another Perspective on Cardio-Oncology. Revista Romana de Cardiologie 34(4):165-168, 2024.
Abstracts
- Ynalvez L, Kosarek C, Kerr P, Fang J, Eyzaguirre E, Orihuela E, Williams SB. Atypical small acinar proliferation: Progression to clinically significant prostate cancer?. 17th Annual Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology.
- Ynalvez LA, Kaczmarek JV, Etchegaray MA. Cardiac tamponade with pericardial metastasis: An initial presentation of a GI malignancy. Southern Society of General Internal Medicine.
- Ynalvez LA, Simpson L, George J, Nguyen HL, Sudhakar D, Nair A, Oberton S, Delgado R, Seth S, Bandeali S, Mattar A, Loor G, Shaffi A, Liao K, Civitello A, Taimeh Z. Elderly patients > 70 years old have comparable survival to younger patients on Impella 5.0 support for cardiogenic shock. 2019 Annual Conference of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics.
- Ynalvez LA, Urena P, Paniagua DE, Induni E, Paniagua LM, Alcantara JR, Ynalvez MA, Paniagua D. First human transcatheter aortic valve implantation of the Colibri Heart Valve, a pre-mounted, pre-packaged, low profile dry valve: A 7-year follow-up. 2020 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics - Virtual Conference; Challenging Case.
- Amatullah A, Yarrabothula A, Ynalvez L, Ynalvez MA, Kee P, Tung P. Diastolic dysfunction in pregnancy: Echocardiographic parameters in patients with cardiometabolic risk factors. 2022 Annual Conference of the American Society of Echocardiography.
- Ynalvez L, Mandviwala T, Marah N, Arain S. Mechanical thrombectomy of a pacemaker-related subclavian vein thrombus using the Penumbra Indigo System Lightening 12. 2022 Annual Conference of the Cardiovascular Innovations.
- Ynalvez L, Nadadur S, Arain S. Coronary intervention: Snaring victory from the ostium of defeat. 2023 Annual Conference of the Cardiovascular Research Technologies.
- Ynalvez LA, Lalani S, Rosales OR. Decision for renal artery stenting in renovascular disease. Annual Conference of the American College of Cardiology; Challenging Clinical Case;.
- Ynalvez L, Monlezun D, Hust M, Madjid M, Alexandrescu S, Koutroumpakis E, Palaskas N, Honan K, Liu V, Cilingiroglu M, Marmagkiolis K, Deswal A, Smalling R, Iliescu C. COVID-19 complicated by respiratory failure increases inpatient STEMI mortality: Machine learning-augmented modified propensity score adjusted longitudinal cohort study. Annual Conference of the American College of Cardiology;.
- Ynalvez L, Monlezun D, Ali A, Shadid H, Seal Z, Pushparaji B, Koutroumpakis E, Park JK, Cilingiroglu M, Marmagkiolis K, Iliescu C. Covid-19 incidence, mortality, and disparities for cancer, cardio-oncology, and the general population: Machine learning national analysis of 27 million hospitalizations in 2020. 2023 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.
- Clement M, Ynalvez L, Patnaik, S. Transthoracic echocardiogram in cardiac sarcoid screening: Rethinking current practice. American Society of Echocardiography 2024, 35th Annual Scientific Sessions.
- Ali A, Ynalvez L, Song J, Koutroumpakis E, Ali HJ, Khalaf S, Mendoza K, Yusuf S, Palaskas N, Iliescu C, Jain P, Deswal A. Risk assessment for cardiac adverse events with Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with mantle cell lymphoma. 2024 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. Echocardiogram-Based Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Cancer. Poster. MD Anderson DoIM Research Retreat 2025. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. The Breakthrough of GLP-1 Agonists in Cardiovascular Disease: SELECT to SUMMIT. Invited. Grand Rounds. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Interactive Exercises in Cardiovascular Health Equity: Preview of the American College of Cardiology Education Health Equity Case Initiative. Invited. UCLA Grand Rounds. Los Angeles, CA, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Session 234: What's the Skinny on GLP-1 Agonists?. ACC.25. Chicago, Illinois, US.
Formal Peers
- 2023. The University of Texas Health Science Center, McGovern Medical School, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program Didactics. Houston, Texas, US.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified May 16, 2025