Dr. Andrés Páez Grijalva

Dr. Andrés Páez Grijalva is one of Ecuador's most respected interventional cardiologists, with over two decades of dedicated practice at Hospital Metropolitano in Quito, one of the country's leading private tertiary-care centers. His career has been defined by a commitment to bringing advanced cardiac catheterization techniques to patients in the Andean region, reducing the need for Ecuadorian patients to travel abroad for complex coronary and structural heart procedures.

Trained in cardiology at a leading Latin American institution before completing an interventional cardiology fellowship abroad, Dr. Páez Grijalva returned to Ecuador with expertise in percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary stenting, and emerging structural heart procedures including transcatheter aortic valve replacement. He has been instrumental in establishing Hospital Metropolitano's cardiac catheterization laboratory as one of the most technically capable cardiac facilities in the country.

Throughout his career, Dr. Páez Grijalva has managed thousands of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, stable coronary disease, and valvular heart conditions. He is known for his calm, methodical approach in the catheterization laboratory and his ability to communicate complex cardiac diagnoses clearly to patients and their families. He participates regularly in multidisciplinary heart team meetings, collaborating with cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, and heart failure cardiologists to determine optimal management pathways.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Páez Grijalva is actively involved in professional education, mentoring cardiology residents and fellows at Hospital Metropolitano and contributing to continuing medical education initiatives organized by the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Cardiología.

Dr. Páez Grijalva completed his undergraduate medical degree (MD) at a recognized Ecuadorian university before pursuing specialty training in Internal Medicine and subsequently Cardiology. He completed his cardiology residency with distinction, receiving comprehensive training in non-invasive cardiac imaging, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and pharmacological management of heart disease.

Recognizing the growing importance of catheter-based therapies, he undertook a dedicated Interventional Cardiology fellowship, during which he received hands-on training in coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, and the evolving field of structural interventions. Following his fellowship, he obtained certification in interventional cardiology and has maintained his credentials through ongoing professional development.

Dr. Páez Grijalva has attended numerous international congresses in cardiology and interventional cardiology, including meetings of the American College of Cardiology and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Cardiología Intervencionista (SOLACI), keeping his practice current with advances in coronary physiology assessment, drug-eluting stent technology, and transcatheter valve therapies.

Dr. Páez Grijalva's primary clinical focus is interventional cardiology — the use of catheter-based techniques to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease and structural heart conditions without open surgery. He performs a high volume of coronary angiographies and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), including complex multi-vessel disease cases and chronic total occlusion (CTO) interventions.

In the structural heart space, Dr. Páez Grijalva has developed expertise in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty, providing less invasive options for patients with significant comorbidities who cannot safely undergo surgical valve replacement. He also performs pacemaker implantation and hemodynamic assessment in patients with advanced heart failure.

On the non-invasive side, Dr. Páez Grijalva is experienced in transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, exercise stress testing, and cardiac CT review, which he uses to plan catheterization strategies and evaluate outcomes. His conditions-treated list spans the full spectrum of cardiovascular medicine: coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stable and unstable angina, aortic valve stenosis, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and hypertensive heart disease.

Dr. Páez Grijalva's research interests center on outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions in Andean populations, with particular attention to the cardiovascular risk profile of patients living at high altitude — a distinct physiological environment that affects hematological parameters and cardiovascular physiology. He has contributed case series and clinical audits to cardiology conferences in Latin America, examining stent thrombosis rates, door-to-balloon times in primary PCI for STEMI, and outcomes of complex PCI in diabetic patients.

He is an advocate for quality improvement in cardiac care at the national level and has collaborated with the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Cardiología on guidelines adaptation for the Ecuadorian healthcare context, translating international evidence into locally applicable clinical recommendations.

Dr. Páez Grijalva consults with patients from across Ecuador and the broader Andean region, including Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. He conducts consultations in Spanish and English, making his practice accessible to international patients and expatriates residing in Quito.

For international patients seeking cardiac evaluation or intervention in Ecuador, Hospital Metropolitano offers a dedicated international patient services team that assists with appointment scheduling, medical record translation, accommodation coordination, and follow-up care planning. Video consultations are available for initial evaluation and post-procedure follow-up, allowing patients to discuss imaging results and treatment options remotely before traveling to Quito for any required procedure.

Dr. Páez Grijalva is a recognized member of the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Cardiología and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Cardiología Intervencionista (SOLACI), and holds international membership in the American College of Cardiology. He has been recognized by Hospital Metropolitano for clinical excellence and contributions to the development of the institution's cardiac catheterization program. He is a sought-after speaker at national cardiology symposia and has been honored by peer institutions for his commitment to advancing interventional cardiac care in Ecuador.