Dr. Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH

Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH, works as a cardiologist and preventive cardiovascular scientist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career centred on inflammation, biomarkers and cardiovascular prevention. He holds the position of Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.

Particular areas of attention include inflammation and atherosclerosis; high sensitivity C-reactive protein and cardiovascular risk; and anti-inflammatory therapy for heart disease. Recognition for this work includes the Distinguished Scientist Award.

Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose and treat conditions of the heart and blood vessels. After a medical degree they complete general medical training, then several further years in cardiology and often a subspecialty fellowship. Dr. Paul Ridker works in inflammation, biomarkers and cardiovascular prevention, which means that referrals tend to involve this area specifically.

Dr. Paul Ridker Professional Snapshot

• Full Name And Credentials: Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH
• Profession: Cardiologist and preventive cardiovascular scientist
• Field Of Focus: Inflammation, biomarkers and cardiovascular prevention
• Current Position: Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
• Institution: Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting

Academic And Clinical Credentials Of Dr. Paul Ridker

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Medical Degree: MD, Harvard Medical School, 1986
• Residency: Internal medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the West Roxbury VA Medical Center, completing as Chief Medical Resident in 1989
• Fellowship: Cardiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 1991, with subspecialty training in echocardiography
• Public Health: MPH, Harvard School of Public Health, 1992
• Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine

Where Dr. Paul Ridker Concentrates Professionally

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Paul Ridker as centred on:

• Inflammation and atherosclerosis
• High sensitivity C-reactive protein and cardiovascular risk
• Anti-inflammatory therapy for heart disease
• Residual inflammatory and cholesterol risk
• Genetic and molecular epidemiology of thrombosis

Dr. Paul Ridker Current And Past Appointments

• Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, a translational research unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Executive Director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Community Wellness in Dorchester, delivering health literacy and wellness programmes
• Trial Chairman for the JUPITER, CANTOS, CIRT, PROMINENT, SPIRE and PREVENT trials
• Principal Investigator of the Women’s Genome Health Study
• Directs an NHLBI funded training grant in cardiovascular epidemiology
• Co-inventor on patents relating to the use of inflammatory biomarkers in cardiovascular disease

Dr. Paul Ridker Honours And Scholarly Impact

• Named to the TIME 100 most influential people, 2004
• Distinguished Scientist Award, American Heart Association, 2013
• NIH Director’s Astute Clinician Award, 2005
• Doris Duke Distinguished Scientist Award, 2000
• Alumni Award of Merit, Harvard School of Public Health, 2005
• Among the ten most cited researchers in cardiovascular medicine worldwide between 2000 and 2010, with more than 900 peer reviewed publications
• Listed among America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly

Hospital And Country Where Dr. Paul Ridker Works

Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

Background On Inflammation And Cardiovascular Biomarkers

Cholesterol does not cause heart disease on its own. Low density lipoprotein, the particle that carries it, lodges in artery walls and sets off the slow inflammatory process called atherosclerosis. That is why treatment aims at the particles rather than at cholesterol in food, and why two people with the same reading can face very different risk depending on blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and family history. Trials in this field test whether lowering these particles by any mechanism reduces heart attacks, and they have repeatedly shown that it does.

Further Specialists Working In Inflammation And Cardiovascular Biomarkers

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

• Dr. Salim Virani, complex dyslipidaemia at Aga Khan University, with adjunct appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute
• Dr. Stephen Nicholls, atherosclerosis imaging and lipid therapy at Monash University and Monash Health
• Dr. Steven Nissen, lipid therapy and cardiovascular trials at Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
• Dr. Thomas Luscher, vascular biology and coronary disease at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, King’s College London and the University of Zurich

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Appointments And Consultations With Dr. Paul Ridker

Dr. Paul Ridker is a senior physician and staff cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who sees outpatients at the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center; his hospital listing currently records that he is not accepting new patients. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Key Questions About Dr. Paul Ridker

What did Dr. Paul Ridker study?

MD, Harvard Medical School, 1986. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Paul Ridker?

Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH. American Board of Internal Medicine.

What position does Dr. Paul Ridker hold?

Dr. Paul Ridker is Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

What is Inflammation And Cardiovascular Biomarkers?

Inflammation And Cardiovascular Biomarkers is the area of cardiology concerned with inflammation, biomarkers and cardiovascular prevention. Cardiologists working in it, including Dr. Paul Ridker, diagnose and treat these conditions and carry out the research that sets the standard of care for them.

Has Dr. Paul Ridker received professional recognition?

Yes. Named to the TIME 100 most influential people, 2004. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Does Dr. Paul Ridker hold leadership roles in the field?

Yes. Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, a translational research unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. A fuller list of appointments appears above.

Source List For Dr. Paul Ridker

• Harvard Medical School faculty profile
• Mass General Brigham provider directory
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Fact Checking Process For This Dr. Paul Ridker Profile

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Notice To Readers Of The Dr. Paul Ridker Profile

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.