Dr. Salim S. Virani, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FASPC

Salim S. Virani, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FASPC, is a preventive cardiologist specialising in complex dyslipidaemia whose base is Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan and whose field is preventive cardiology and complex dyslipidaemia. He is appointed as Vice Provost for Research and Nizar E. Noor Mohammed Mewawalla Endowed Professor.

Dr. Salim Virani returned to his alma mater in Pakistan in 2022 after twenty three years in the United States, where he had been a tenured Professor in the Sections of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine, a staff cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Director of Baylor’s cardiovascular disease fellowship programme. He is a recipient of the Jeremiah Stamler Distinguished Young Investigator Research Award.

A cardiologist is a physician, not a surgeon: the work is diagnosis, medical treatment and catheter based procedures rather than open operations. Qualification takes a medical degree, general medical training and several years of cardiology specialisation. The particular area of practice for Dr. Salim Virani is preventive cardiology and complex dyslipidaemia.

Essential Details For Dr. Salim Virani

Full Name And Credentials: Salim S. Virani, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FASPC
Profession: Preventive cardiologist specialising in complex dyslipidaemia
Field Of Focus: Preventive cardiology and complex dyslipidaemia
Current Position: Vice Provost for Research and Nizar E. Noor Mohammed Mewawalla Endowed Professor
Institution: Aga Khan University, with adjunct appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute
Location: Karachi, Pakistan
Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
Previous Appointments: Returned to his alma mater in Pakistan in 2022 after twenty three years in the United States, where he had been a tenured Professor in the Sections of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine, a staff cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Director of Baylor’s cardiovascular disease fellowship programme

Dr. Salim Virani Degrees, Fellowship And Registration

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

Medical Degree: MBBS, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, 1998, with the Best Medical Graduate Award
Residency: Internal medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami, 2005, where he was named Best Resident
Fellowship: Cardiovascular disease, Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine, 2008
Doctorate: PhD in biostatistics and health services research, Baylor College of Medicine, 2012

Clinical And Scientific Interests Of Dr. Salim Virani

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Salim Virani as centred on:

Complex dyslipidaemia and lipid lowering therapy
Quality of cardiovascular preventive care
Health services research and clinical informatics
Machine learning applied to large cardiovascular datasets
Delivery of cardiovascular care in low and middle income countries, especially South Asia

Dr. Salim Virani Academic And Hospital Appointments

First Vice Provost for Research at Aga Khan University, serving its campuses in Karachi and Nairobi
Nizar E. Noor Mohammed Mewawalla Endowed Professor at Aga Khan University
Co-chaired the 2023 American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guideline for chronic coronary disease
Member of the Professional Staff and academic faculty of the Texas Heart Institute, whose fellowship programme he completed
Member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Preventive Cardiology and of the Science and Quality Committee of the American College of Cardiology
Associate Editor for Innovations and Chair for Digital Strategy at ACC.org
Member of the writing committee for the World Heart Federation and International Diabetes Federation road map on preventing cardiovascular disease in people living with diabetes
International Advisor to Pakistan’s Initiative for Non Communicable Diseases at Aga Khan University
His research is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health and the World Heart Federation

Dr. Salim Virani Research Output And Awards

Jeremiah Stamler Distinguished Young Investigator Research Award
Leadership Award of the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry Oversight Committee
President’s Service Award of the National Lipid Association
Clark Faculty Service Award at Baylor College of Medicine for exemplary professionalism and community service
Tauber Award for the Outstanding Fellow at the Texas Heart Institute
Author or co-author of more than three hundred peer reviewed publications on cholesterol, blood pressure control and aspirin therapy
Recognised internationally as a leading expert in preventive cardiology and cardiovascular outcomes research

Location Details For Dr. Salim Virani

Aga Khan University, with adjunct appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute

Karachi, Pakistan. 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.

Understanding Complex Dyslipidaemia

Inflammation is the other half of the story. Even with cholesterol well controlled, people with raised inflammatory markers remain at higher risk, and trials have shown that drugs targeting inflammation directly can reduce cardiovascular events. This reframed atherosclerosis as a disease of both lipids and immune response rather than simple plumbing. In clinical terms it has introduced a second measurable target alongside the cholesterol panel, and has explained why risk persists in some patients whose numbers look reassuring.

Experts With Knowledge Comparable To Dr. Salim Virani

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

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
Dr. Paul Ridker, inflammation and cardiovascular biomarkers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Appointments And Consultations With Dr. Salim Virani

Dr. Salim Virani practises as a preventive cardiologist with a particular emphasis on the management of complex dyslipidaemia. 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.

Quick Answers About Dr. Salim Virani

What does Dr. Salim Virani specialise in?

Dr. Salim Virani is a preventive cardiologist specialising in complex dyslipidaemia whose work centres on preventive cardiology and complex dyslipidaemia. Particular areas of focus include complex dyslipidaemia and lipid lowering therapy; and quality of cardiovascular preventive care.

Where is Dr. Salim Virani based?

Dr. Salim Virani works at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.

Does Dr. Salim Virani see patients?

Yes. Dr. Salim Virani practises as a preventive cardiologist with a particular emphasis on the management of complex dyslipidaemia. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Salim Virani study?

MBBS, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, 1998, with the Best Medical Graduate Award. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Salim Virani?

Salim S. Virani, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FASPC. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. Salim Virani hold?

Dr. Salim Virani is Vice Provost for Research and Nizar E. Noor Mohammed Mewawalla Endowed Professor, based at Aga Khan University.

Citations And Further Reading On Dr. Salim Virani

Editorial Standards For This Dr. Salim Virani Listing

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.

Update note: Returned to his alma mater in Pakistan in 2022 after twenty three years in the United States, where he had been a tenured Professor in the Sections of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine, a staff cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Director of Baylor’s cardiovascular disease fellowship programme.

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

Important Notice About This Dr. Salim Virani Listing

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Aga Khan University, with adjunct appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.

Dr. Salim Virani