Eugene Braunwald

Cross-Cutting Cardiology

Harvard University

About

Eugene Braunwald works in Cross-Cutting Cardiology affiliated with Harvard University.

Eugene Braunwald, M.D., was the Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and founding chair of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He served as Chair of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital from 1972 to 1996 and as founding Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego from 1968 to 1972. He died on April 22, 2026.

Research focus

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathyAcute myocardial infarction and reperfusion therapyHeart failure and ventricular remodelingLipid-lowering therapy in coronary artery diseaseAntiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy in acute coronary syndromes

Impact

1,375 pubs · 120,828 cites · h-index 156

Training

MD
New York University School of Medicine
1952
AB
New York University
1949

Affiliations

Work Experience

Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine

Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital · 1972 - 2026

Founding Chair

TIMI Study Group, Brigham and Women's Hospital · 1984 - 2011

Chair, Department of Medicine

Brigham and Women's Hospital / Harvard Medical School · 1972 - 1996

Founding Chair, Department of Medicine

University of California, San Diego · 1968 - 1972

Chief of Cardiology and Clinical Director

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute · 1961 - 1968

Publications

review9 mentionsJACC Highlight

JAN 2020ZelnikerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

May support SGLT2 inhibitor use for cardiorenal protection; extends prior data but leaves optimal application open pending larger trials.

Jan 2020Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 5: Literature Review

ZelnikerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Implication

May support SGLT2 inhibitor use for cardiorenal protection; extends prior data but leaves optimal application open pending larger trials.

cohort · n=4714 mentionsJACC Highlight

NOV 1987GoldhaberJournal of the American College of Cardiology

By 6 hours, 44 of 47 patients had angiographic evidence of clot lysis, and among 34 patients with baseline pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 43/17 (mean 27) to 31/13 (mean 19) mm Hg (p < 0.0001).

Peripheral intravenous rt-PA rapidly induced angiographic clot lysis and significantly lowered pulmonary artery pressure within 6 hours in patients with acute pulmonary embolism, with two major bleeding events requiring surgery.

Nov 1987Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

GoldhaberJournal of the American College of Cardiology

By 6 hours, 44 of 47 patients had angiographic evidence of clot lysis, and among 34 patients with baseline pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 43/17 (mean 27) to 31/13 (mean 19) mm Hg (p < 0.0001).

Implication

cohort8 mentionsJACC Highlight

JUN 1998MorrowJournal of the American College of Cardiology

14-day mortality was 9.10% in patients with both an early positive rapid cTnT assay (<= 10 min) and CRP >= 1.55 mg/dl, compared with 4.65% in those with either marker elevated and 0.36% in those with both negative rapid cTnT and CRP < 1.55 mg/dl (p = 0.0003).

Elevated C-reactive protein at presentation in patients with unstable angina or non-Q wave myocardial infarction is associated with increased 14-day mortality, even among those with a negative rapid troponin T assay, providing complementary prognostic risk stratification.

Jun 1998Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

MorrowJournal of the American College of Cardiology

14-day mortality was 9.10% in patients with both an early positive rapid cTnT assay (<= 10 min) and CRP >= 1.55 mg/dl, compared with 4.65% in those with either marker elevated and 0.36% in those with both negative rapid cTnT and CRP < 1.55 mg/dl (p = 0.0003).

Implication

RCT · n=137

MAR 2025OstrominskiJAMA Cardiology

Valsartan reduces myocardial intracellular volume progression by ~5 mL/m² vs. placebo in early HCM.

Supports early valsartan in sarcomeric HCM; extends VANISH to CMR tissue remodeling.

Mar 2025Open Access

Level 2: RCT

OstrominskiJAMA Cardiology

Valsartan reduces myocardial intracellular volume progression by ~5 mL/m² vs. placebo in early HCM.

Implication

Supports early valsartan in sarcomeric HCM; extends VANISH to CMR tissue remodeling.

cohort · n=74,897

AUG 2025HallerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

High heart failure polygenic risk score linked to ~5-fold higher rate of new-onset HF.

HF polygenic risk score was associated with incident heart failure; leaves open whether it improves clinical risk stratification or prevention.

PDF

Aug 2025Open Access

Level 3: Cohort Study

HallerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

High heart failure polygenic risk score linked to ~5-fold higher rate of new-onset HF.

Implication

HF polygenic risk score was associated with incident heart failure; leaves open whether it improves clinical risk stratification or prevention.

PDF

Nathan O. Stitziel

Cardiologist and human geneticist, Washington University in St. Louis · Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

12d

We need more research to confirm these results. Regardless, we can at least say that patients with a high genetic-risk score appear to benefit more from statin therapy because they're starting at a higher baseline risk, even controlling for all the clinical measures we routinely examine.

Genetic risk, coronary heart disease events, and the clinical benefit of statin therapy: an analysis of primary and secondary prevention trials

The LancetMega et al.Mar 2015

review

JUL 30DesaiMed

New framework standardizes trial endpoints, safety protocols, and surveillance for HCM gene therapies.

May inform standardized endpoints and surveillance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene therapy trials; leaves open prospective validation.

13w ago

Level 5: Literature Review

DesaiMed

New framework standardizes trial endpoints, safety protocols, and surveillance for HCM gene therapies.

Implication

May inform standardized endpoints and surveillance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene therapy trials; leaves open prospective validation.

Arman Qamar

Cardiovascular researcher, TIMI Study Group

In the setting of high risk of bleeding in patients with liver disease, edoxaban should be preferred over warfarin for the prevention of stroke and bleeding in patients with AF and history of liver disease.

Edoxaban Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and History of Liver Disease

Journal of the American College of CardiologyQamar et al.Jul 2019

RCT · n=17,717JACC Highlight

FEB 2017BohulaJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Adding ezetimibe to simvastatin yields an absolute ~6% reduction in major events post-ACS.

High-risk post-ACS patients warrant ezetimibe addition (NNT=16); extends IMPROVE-IT via TRS 2°P stratification.

Feb 2017Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 2: RCT

BohulaJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Adding ezetimibe to simvastatin yields an absolute ~6% reduction in major events post-ACS.

Implication

High-risk post-ACS patients warrant ezetimibe addition (NNT=16); extends IMPROVE-IT via TRS 2°P stratification.

cohort · n=4715 mentionsJACC Highlight

MAR 1988StoneJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Anterior MI linked to ~2.5-fold higher cumulative cardiac mortality compared to inferior MI.

Anterior location of a first myocardial infarction is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality and heart failure, compared to inferior infarction.

Mar 1988Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

StoneJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Anterior MI linked to ~2.5-fold higher cumulative cardiac mortality compared to inferior MI.

Implication

Anterior location of a first myocardial infarction is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality and heart failure, compared to inferior infarction.

case_series · n=75 mentionsCirculation Highlight

JUN 1968RobertsCirculation

Severe adult pulmonic stenosis linked to large pulmonary valve calcium deposits in ~71% of patients.

May signal chronic severe pulmonic stenosis on imaging; hypothesis-generating from small case series.

Jun 1968Open Access

Circulation Highlight

Level 5: Case Report

RobertsCirculation

Severe adult pulmonic stenosis linked to large pulmonary valve calcium deposits in ~71% of patients.

Implication

May signal chronic severe pulmonic stenosis on imaging; hypothesis-generating from small case series.

Elliott Antman

Cardiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

It would be superficial to regard this as an overall negative result. It's absolutely correct to say the primary end point didn't show a statistically significant difference between prasugrel and clopidogrel in those ACS patients managed medically, but there are several fascinating and potentially important observations.

Early and Late Benefits of Prasugrel in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Journal of the American College of CardiologyAntman et al.May 2008

Prognostic Study4 mentionsJACC Highlight

NOV 2003GibsonJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Severely impaired creatinine clearance is linked to ~281% higher 30-day mortality in fibrinolysis-treated STEMI.

Nov 2003Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 4: Prognostic Study

GibsonJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Severely impaired creatinine clearance is linked to ~281% higher 30-day mortality in fibrinolysis-treated STEMI.

Original Research11 mentionsCirculation Highlight

JUL 1968RossCirculation

Aortic Stenosis

Jul 1968

Circulation Highlight

RossCirculation

Aortic Stenosis

YouTube: Talking With Docs: Aortic Stenosis and the TAVI Procedure: Insights from a Cardiologist

Bariş Gencer

Cardiologist, University of Geneva · University of Geneva

Inclisiran was recently approved in several countries for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Inclisiran is a small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA)-based therapy that targets hepatic production of proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) and consequently lowers plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

How to live to 100 before developing clinical coronary artery disease: a suggestion

European Heart JournalBraunwaldAug 2021

RCT · n=4,162JACC Highlight

OCT 2005RayJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Atorvastatin 80 mg cuts death, MI, or recurrent ACS ~28% vs. standard statin therapy.

Intensive statin therapy with atorvastatin 80 mg provides both early (30-day) and late long-term reductions in clinical events compared to standard therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Oct 2005Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 2: RCT

RayJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Atorvastatin 80 mg cuts death, MI, or recurrent ACS ~28% vs. standard statin therapy.

Implication

Intensive statin therapy with atorvastatin 80 mg provides both early (30-day) and late long-term reductions in clinical events compared to standard therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Eugene Braunwald

Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

We are in the midst of two pandemics: heart failure and type 2 diabetes. As cardiologists, we have to learn how to deal with this.

Diabetocardiology: a new subspecialty?

European Heart JournalBraunwaldAug 2023

Robert Storey

Professor of Cardiology, University of Sheffield

Our recent research shows that prolonged treatment with a 60mg twice-daily dose of ticagrelor beyond this first year provides effective protection against further heart attack or stroke, albeit with an increase in risk of bleeding. The provisional approval by NICE for a longer course of treatment opens the way to a new option for managing risk in patients who are at higher risk of further heart attack.

Cost-Effectiveness of Long-Term Ticagrelor in Patients With Prior Myocardial Infarction

Journal of the American College of CardiologyMagnuson et al.Jul 2017

review9 mentionsEuropean Heart Journal Highlight

SEP 2025BraunwaldEuropean Heart Journal

Emerging therapies including gene editing, novel devices, and xenotransplantation hold promise for future HF management.

This review highlights emerging and future therapies for heart failure, including gene editing, metabolomic profiling, novel devices, and xenotransplantation, which may shape future management strategies.

Sep 2025Open Access

European Heart Journal Highlight

Level 5: Literature Review

BraunwaldEuropean Heart Journal

Emerging therapies including gene editing, novel devices, and xenotransplantation hold promise for future HF management.

Implication

Original Research5 mentionsCirculation Highlight

JUL 2010WiviottCirculation

Prasugrel

Jul 2010

Circulation Highlight

WiviottCirculation

Prasugrel

All publications →

About

Eugene Braunwald works in Cross-Cutting Cardiology affiliated with Harvard University.

Research focus

Impact

1,375 pubs · 120,828 cites · h-index 156

Training

MD
New York University School of Medicine
1952
AB
New York University
1949

Work Experience

Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine

Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital · 1972 - 2026

Founding Chair

TIMI Study Group, Brigham and Women's Hospital · 1984 - 2011

Chair, Department of Medicine

Brigham and Women's Hospital / Harvard Medical School · 1972 - 1996

Founding Chair, Department of Medicine

University of California, San Diego · 1968 - 1972

Chief of Cardiology and Clinical Director

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute · 1961 - 1968

Publications

review9 mentionsJACC Highlight

JAN 2020ZelnikerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

May support SGLT2 inhibitor use for cardiorenal protection; extends prior data but leaves optimal application open pending larger trials.

Jan 2020Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 5: Literature Review

ZelnikerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Implication

May support SGLT2 inhibitor use for cardiorenal protection; extends prior data but leaves optimal application open pending larger trials.

cohort · n=4714 mentionsJACC Highlight

NOV 1987GoldhaberJournal of the American College of Cardiology

By 6 hours, 44 of 47 patients had angiographic evidence of clot lysis, and among 34 patients with baseline pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 43/17 (mean 27) to 31/13 (mean 19) mm Hg (p < 0.0001).

Nov 1987Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

GoldhaberJournal of the American College of Cardiology

By 6 hours, 44 of 47 patients had angiographic evidence of clot lysis, and among 34 patients with baseline pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 43/17 (mean 27) to 31/13 (mean 19) mm Hg (p < 0.0001).

Implication

cohort8 mentionsJACC Highlight

JUN 1998MorrowJournal of the American College of Cardiology

14-day mortality was 9.10% in patients with both an early positive rapid cTnT assay (<= 10 min) and CRP >= 1.55 mg/dl, compared with 4.65% in those with either marker elevated and 0.36% in those with both negative rapid cTnT and CRP < 1.55 mg/dl (p = 0.0003).

Jun 1998Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

MorrowJournal of the American College of Cardiology

14-day mortality was 9.10% in patients with both an early positive rapid cTnT assay (<= 10 min) and CRP >= 1.55 mg/dl, compared with 4.65% in those with either marker elevated and 0.36% in those with both negative rapid cTnT and CRP < 1.55 mg/dl (p = 0.0003).

Implication

RCT · n=137

MAR 2025OstrominskiJAMA Cardiology

Valsartan reduces myocardial intracellular volume progression by ~5 mL/m² vs. placebo in early HCM.

Supports early valsartan in sarcomeric HCM; extends VANISH to CMR tissue remodeling.

Mar 2025Open Access

Level 2: RCT

OstrominskiJAMA Cardiology

Valsartan reduces myocardial intracellular volume progression by ~5 mL/m² vs. placebo in early HCM.

Implication

Supports early valsartan in sarcomeric HCM; extends VANISH to CMR tissue remodeling.

cohort · n=74,897

AUG 2025HallerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

High heart failure polygenic risk score linked to ~5-fold higher rate of new-onset HF.

HF polygenic risk score was associated with incident heart failure; leaves open whether it improves clinical risk stratification or prevention.

PDF

Aug 2025Open Access

Level 3: Cohort Study

HallerJournal of the American College of Cardiology

High heart failure polygenic risk score linked to ~5-fold higher rate of new-onset HF.

Implication

HF polygenic risk score was associated with incident heart failure; leaves open whether it improves clinical risk stratification or prevention.

PDF

Nathan O. Stitziel

Cardiologist and human geneticist, Washington University in St. Louis · Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

12d

We need more research to confirm these results. Regardless, we can at least say that patients with a high genetic-risk score appear to benefit more from statin therapy because they're starting at a higher baseline risk, even controlling for all the clinical measures we routinely examine.

Genetic risk, coronary heart disease events, and the clinical benefit of statin therapy: an analysis of primary and secondary prevention trials

The LancetMega et al.Mar 2015

review

JUL 30DesaiMed

New framework standardizes trial endpoints, safety protocols, and surveillance for HCM gene therapies.

May inform standardized endpoints and surveillance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene therapy trials; leaves open prospective validation.

13w ago

Level 5: Literature Review

DesaiMed

New framework standardizes trial endpoints, safety protocols, and surveillance for HCM gene therapies.

Implication

May inform standardized endpoints and surveillance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene therapy trials; leaves open prospective validation.

Arman Qamar

Cardiovascular researcher, TIMI Study Group

In the setting of high risk of bleeding in patients with liver disease, edoxaban should be preferred over warfarin for the prevention of stroke and bleeding in patients with AF and history of liver disease.

Edoxaban Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and History of Liver Disease

Journal of the American College of CardiologyQamar et al.Jul 2019

RCT · n=17,717JACC Highlight

FEB 2017BohulaJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Adding ezetimibe to simvastatin yields an absolute ~6% reduction in major events post-ACS.

High-risk post-ACS patients warrant ezetimibe addition (NNT=16); extends IMPROVE-IT via TRS 2°P stratification.

Feb 2017Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 2: RCT

BohulaJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Adding ezetimibe to simvastatin yields an absolute ~6% reduction in major events post-ACS.

Implication

High-risk post-ACS patients warrant ezetimibe addition (NNT=16); extends IMPROVE-IT via TRS 2°P stratification.

cohort · n=4715 mentionsJACC Highlight

MAR 1988StoneJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Anterior MI linked to ~2.5-fold higher cumulative cardiac mortality compared to inferior MI.

Anterior location of a first myocardial infarction is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality and heart failure, compared to inferior infarction.

Mar 1988Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 3: Cohort Study

StoneJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Anterior MI linked to ~2.5-fold higher cumulative cardiac mortality compared to inferior MI.

Implication

Anterior location of a first myocardial infarction is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality and heart failure, compared to inferior infarction.

case_series · n=75 mentionsCirculation Highlight

JUN 1968RobertsCirculation

Severe adult pulmonic stenosis linked to large pulmonary valve calcium deposits in ~71% of patients.

May signal chronic severe pulmonic stenosis on imaging; hypothesis-generating from small case series.

Jun 1968Open Access

Circulation Highlight

Level 5: Case Report

RobertsCirculation

Severe adult pulmonic stenosis linked to large pulmonary valve calcium deposits in ~71% of patients.

Implication

May signal chronic severe pulmonic stenosis on imaging; hypothesis-generating from small case series.

Elliott Antman

Cardiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

It would be superficial to regard this as an overall negative result. It's absolutely correct to say the primary end point didn't show a statistically significant difference between prasugrel and clopidogrel in those ACS patients managed medically, but there are several fascinating and potentially important observations.

Early and Late Benefits of Prasugrel in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Journal of the American College of CardiologyAntman et al.May 2008

Prognostic Study4 mentionsJACC Highlight

NOV 2003GibsonJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Severely impaired creatinine clearance is linked to ~281% higher 30-day mortality in fibrinolysis-treated STEMI.

Nov 2003Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 4: Prognostic Study

GibsonJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Severely impaired creatinine clearance is linked to ~281% higher 30-day mortality in fibrinolysis-treated STEMI.

Original Research11 mentionsCirculation Highlight

JUL 1968RossCirculation

Aortic Stenosis

Jul 1968

Circulation Highlight

RossCirculation

Aortic Stenosis

YouTube: Talking With Docs: Aortic Stenosis and the TAVI Procedure: Insights from a Cardiologist

Bariş Gencer

Cardiologist, University of Geneva · University of Geneva

Inclisiran was recently approved in several countries for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Inclisiran is a small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA)-based therapy that targets hepatic production of proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) and consequently lowers plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

How to live to 100 before developing clinical coronary artery disease: a suggestion

European Heart JournalBraunwaldAug 2021

RCT · n=4,162JACC Highlight

OCT 2005RayJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Atorvastatin 80 mg cuts death, MI, or recurrent ACS ~28% vs. standard statin therapy.

Intensive statin therapy with atorvastatin 80 mg provides both early (30-day) and late long-term reductions in clinical events compared to standard therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Oct 2005Open Access

JACC Highlight

Level 2: RCT

RayJournal of the American College of Cardiology

Atorvastatin 80 mg cuts death, MI, or recurrent ACS ~28% vs. standard statin therapy.

Implication

Intensive statin therapy with atorvastatin 80 mg provides both early (30-day) and late long-term reductions in clinical events compared to standard therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Eugene Braunwald

Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

We are in the midst of two pandemics: heart failure and type 2 diabetes. As cardiologists, we have to learn how to deal with this.

Diabetocardiology: a new subspecialty?

European Heart JournalBraunwaldAug 2023

Robert Storey

Professor of Cardiology, University of Sheffield

Our recent research shows that prolonged treatment with a 60mg twice-daily dose of ticagrelor beyond this first year provides effective protection against further heart attack or stroke, albeit with an increase in risk of bleeding. The provisional approval by NICE for a longer course of treatment opens the way to a new option for managing risk in patients who are at higher risk of further heart attack.