Amit Khera, M.D.

Director, Preventive Cardiology; Associate Chief of Cardiology for Faculty Development

Clinical Heart and Vascular Center

Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Hypertension and Heart Disease

Internal Medicine - Cardiology
Preventive Cardiology
High Cholesterol

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Biography

Amit Khera, M.D., is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and specializes in cardiac risk assessment and risk factor modifications. Dr. Khera is the Director of UT Southwestern's Preventive Cardiology Program. In addition, he is the Associate Chief of Cardiology for Faculty Development and holds the Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Hypertension and Heart Disease.

Dr. Khera earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital and received advanced training through a cardiology fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical School. Dr. Khera also holds a master's degree in epidemiology from Harvard University.

In addition to his clinical work, he pursues his passion for preventing cardiac disease by conducting extensive research in the subject. He has published over 200 academic articles in the field.

Dr. Khera is Past President of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology. He is also an active member of other professional organizations, including the Texas Medical Association, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Cardiology.

He has been honored by the American Heart Association for cardiovascular research in women's health and by the American College of Cardiology for his work in preventive cardiology. He was included in D Magazine's Best Doctors list from 2014- 2022 and was also named a Texas Monthly Super Doctor from 2013-2022.

Meet Dr. Khera

Dallas Cardiologist

Why do some people develop heart disease and others don’t? What are the best ways to prevent heart disease and its complications? For Amit Khera, M.D., these are questions of life – and a life’s work.

Dr. Khera directs UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Preventive Cardiology Program, which aims to prevent coronary artery disease and its complications. He trained at Harvard Medical School and UT Southwestern Medical School, and is an expert in cardiac risk assessment and risk factor modifications.

His interest in cardiac disease prevention began during residency in Boston when he cared for a 45-year-old man who was admitted into the hospital for his seventh heart procedure to fix blocked arteries. He wondered how the patient had developed such malignant coronary artery disease and thought there must be a better way to prevent recurrent problems.

"Doing a little bit early in life to prevent a heart attack is better than trying to do a lot later on down the road,” he says.

"It's quite clear that heart disease is indeed preventable. Studies over the past decade have shown that for those who can achieve healthy levels for major risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol and who don’t smoke, the chances of having a heart attack is almost 80 percent lower than those with unhealthy levels."

But achieving healthy levels is not always easy, nor will a one-size-fits-all approach work for treatment. A practical plan of exercise and dietary changes for a busy executive who constantly travels is quite different than the plan for someone with a more regular schedule, but they both have different challenges, Dr. Khera notes. And those with rare genetic disorders or extreme risk factors will require a different playbook altogether.

"The approach has to be individualized," he says. “That’s what we do."

Education & Training

Fellowship - UT Southwestern Medical Center (2001-2004), Cardiology
Residency - Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women's Hospital (1999-2001), Internal Medicine
Internship - Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women's Hospital (1998-1999), Internal Medicine
Medical School - Baylor College of Medicine (1994-1998)

Professional Associations & Affiliations

Texas Medical Association
American Medical Association
American Heart Association
American College of Cardiology
American Society of Preventive Cardiology (2010)

Honors & Awards

D Magazine Best Doctor, 2014-2018, 2020-2022
Texas Super Doctors 2013-2018
AHA Trudy Bush Award For Cardiovascular Research in Women's Health 2009
Outstanding Teacher Award 2007, UTSW Class of 2009
Career Development Award in Clinical or Preventive Cardiology 2006, American College of Cardiology/Pfizer
Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee 2002, Harvard Medical School
Outstanding Student Award Class of 1998 1998, Baylor College of Medicine
Alpha Omega Alpha 1997, Honor Medical Society