Ziv Harel

MD, MSc

Investigator

Biography

Ziv Harel is a nephrologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He completed his undergraduate degrees at the University of Toronto, medical school at the University of Western Ontario, and continued his clinical training in internal medicine and nephrology at the University of Toronto. Following this, he completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Toronto, a research fellowship at Women’s College Hospital, and the Veteran’s Health Administration Quality Scholars (VAQS) Fellowship in patient safety. In addition to attending on the hospital’s Nephrology consult and ward services, Dr. Harel provides longitudinal care for patients on chronic hemodialysis and has an active general nephrology practice.

Dr. Harel’s research interests are in the areas of anticoagulation in patients receiving dialysis, the interplay of pregnancy and the kidney, and patient safety in individuals with chronic kidney disease. He is currently leading a Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded international trial on the role of oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving chronic dialysis. As a founding member of the Kidney Dialysis and Transplantation Program at ICES, Dr. Harel is also involved in several studies that are using province-wide population-based data to answer research questions in kidney disease.

Recent Publications

  1. Yau, K, Ray, JG, Jeyakumar, N, Luo, B, Abdullah, S, Dixon, SN et al.. Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With CKD. Am J Kidney Dis. 2025; :. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2025.09.010. PubMed PMID:41238166 .
  2. Walsh, M, Collister, D, Gallagher, M, Mark, PB, de Zoysa, JR, Tyrwhitt, J et al.. Spironolactone versus placebo in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis (ACHIEVE): an international, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2025;406 (10504):695-704. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01198-5. PubMed PMID:40818850 .
  3. Yau, K, Ray, JG, Jeyakumar, N, Luo, B, Abdullah, S, McArthur, E et al.. Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and the Risk of Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalization in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease. Diabetes Care. 2025;48 (9):1524-1528. doi: 10.2337/dc24-2811. PubMed PMID:40569823 .
  4. Wyman, CS, Djerboua, M, Clemens, KK, Harel, Z, Sood, MM, Silver, SA et al.. Association of Primary Care Continuity With Home Dialysis, Transplantation, and Utilization of Medical Services for Patients Starting Hemodialysis. Kidney Med. 2025;7 (6):101015. doi: 10.1016/j.xkme.2025.101015. PubMed PMID:40510616 PubMed Central PMC12152618.
  5. Wing, S, Ray, JG, Yau, K, Jeyakumar, N, Abdullah, S, Luo, B et al.. SGLT2 Inhibitors and Risk for Hyperkalemia Among Individuals Receiving RAAS Inhibitors. JAMA Intern Med. 2025;185 (7):827-836. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0686. PubMed PMID:40293730 PubMed Central PMC12038716.
  6. Lam, D, Scaria, A, Andrade, J, Badve, SV, Birks, P, Bota, SE et al.. Safety and Effectiveness of Apixaban versus Warfarin by Kidney Function in Atrial Fibrillation: A Binational Population-Based Study. Kidney360. 2025;6 (9):1510-1521. doi: 10.34067/KID.0000000809. PubMed PMID:40202804 PubMed Central PMC12483054.
  7. Naylor, KL, Jeyakumar, N, Kang, Y, Dixon, SN, Garg, AX, Al-Jaishi, A et al.. Clinical Outcomes and Healthcare Utilization in Patients Receiving Maintenance Dialysis After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada. Can J Kidney Health Dis. 2025;12 :20543581251328077. doi: 10.1177/20543581251328077. PubMed PMID:40161414 PubMed Central PMC11954382.
  8. Khoo, B, Friedrich, JO, Lebovic, G, Hiremath, S, Fishman, G, Wing, S et al.. Kidney recovery after iodinated contrast administration in patients with acute kidney injury receiving renal replacement therapy. J Crit Care. 2025;87 :155015. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2025.155015. PubMed PMID:39889644 .
  9. Harel, Z, Jeyakumar, N, Smith, G, Ray, JG, Clemens, KK, Juurlink, DN et al.. Rhabdomyolysis and Sodium-Glucose-Linked Transport Inhibitors in Patients Taking Statins. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7 (11):e2446641. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.46641. PubMed PMID:39541123 PubMed Central PMC11565259.
  10. Harel, Z, Smyth, B, Badve, SV, Blum, D, Beaubien-Souligny, W, Silver, SA et al.. Anticoagulation for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Dialysis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2025;36 (5):901-910. doi: 10.1681/ASN.0000000000000495. PubMed PMID:39495569 PubMed Central PMC12059112.
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Adjunct Scientist, ICES