Christie Mitchell Ballantyne, M.D.

Section Chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research

Email

cmb@bcm.edu

Positions

Section Chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research: Baylor College of Medicine

Professor: Medicine- Cardiology and Molecular and Human Genetics
Baylor College of Medicine

Professor: Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Baylor College of Medicine

Director: The Maria and Alando J. Ballantyne, M.D. Atherosclerosis Clinical Research Laboratory
Baylor College of Medicine

Director: Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention
Baylor College of Medicine

Co-Director: Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis Clinic
Baylor College of Medicine

J. S. Abercrombie Chair - Atherosclerosis and Lipoprotein Research: Baylor College of Medicine

Chief, Cardiovascular Research and Cardiology: Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine

Addresses

Section of Cardiovascular Research (Office): One Baylor Plaza, MS BCM285
Suite 524D
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-5034
https://www.bcm.edu/departments/medicine/sections-and-divisions/cardiovascular-research

Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention (Clinic): 6655 Travis Street, Suite 320
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-5800
https://www.bcm.edu/healthcare/specialties/cardiovascular-medicine/you-and-your-heart/general-cardiology/lipid-metabolism-and-atherosclerosis-clinic

Education

Fellowship at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine: 01/1989 - Houston, TX, United States

Clinical Fellowship at Baylor College Of Medicine Affiliate Hospitals: 01/1987 - Houston, TX, United States; Cardiology

Residency at University Of Texas Southwestern Affiliate Hospitals: 01/1985 - Dallas, TX, United States; Internal Medicine

Internship at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School: Dallas, Texas, United States

MD from Baylor College Of Medicine: 01/1982 - Houston, TX, United States

BA from University Of Texas At Austin: 01/1977 - Austin, TX, United States

Certifications

Cardiovascular Disease: American Board of Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine: American Board of Internal Medicine

Diplomate: American Board of Clinical Lipidology

Honors & Awards

2024 Top Doctor: Castle Connolly

President: National Lipid Association (06/2024)

Distinguished Scientist Award: American Heart Association (11/2025)

Professional Interests

Clinical and translational research in patients with hereditary lipid disorders for the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease and genetic epidemiology related to lipids and cardiometabolic disease
Preventive Cardiology
Atherosclerosis
Lipid Disorders
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Professional Statement

Dr. Ballantyne's clinical research focuses on the prevention of cardiometabolic disease. This interest includes pharmacological studies to assess the efficacy and benefits of lipid-lowering drug therapy including trials that examine the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on cardiovascular disease events and the progression of atherosclerosis. As the director of The Maria and Alando J. Ballantyne, M.D., Atherosclerosis Clinical Research Laboratory, which serves as the core laboratory for the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, Dr. Ballantyne is studying whether genetic variants in combination with novel biomarkers might be useful in identifying individuals at high risk for cardiometabolic disease and diabetes. Genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are being used to identify novel molecules that are increased with atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, and cardiometabolic disease. In addition, his group is studying new approaches to the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases with the goal of developing personalized diet, lifestyle, and pharmacotherapy based on the genetic profile and clinical phenotype assessed by proteomics, metabolomics, and imaging.

Websites

Center for Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention

Division of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine

Section of Cardiology

Department of Integrative Physiology

Department of Molecular and Human Genetics

Graduate Program in Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Molecular Physiology of the Cardiovascular System

Graduate Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine

Cardiovascular Research Institute

Publications in PubMed

VIICTR - Publications

Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis Clinic

Selected Publications

Ballantyne CM, Laufs U, Ray KK, Leiter LA, Bays HE, Goldberg AC, Stroes ES, MacDougall D, Zhao X, Catapano AL. " Bempedoic acid plus ezetimibe fixed-dose combination in patients with hypercholesterolemia and high CVD risk treated with maximally tolerated statin therapy " Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020 ; 27 : 593-603.
Pubmed PMID: 31357887.
Tang O, Daya N, Matsushita K, Coresh J, Sharrett AR, Hoogeveen R, Jia X, Windham BG, Ballantyne C, Selvin E. " Performance of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays to reflect comorbidity burden and improve mortality risk stratification in older adults with diabetes " Diabetes Care. 2020 ; 43 : 1200-8.
Pubmed PMID: 32161049.
Peterson BE, Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Miller M, Brinton EA, Jacobson TA, Ketchum SB, Juliano RA, Jiao L, Doyle RT Jr, Granowitz C, Gibson CM, Pinto D, Giugliano RP, Budoff MJ, Tardif JC, Verma S, Ballantyne CM, on behalf of the REDUCE-IT Investigators. " Reduction in revascularization with icosapent ethyl: insights from REDUCE-IT revascularization analyses. " Circulation. 2021 ; 143 : 33-44.
Antony A, Lian Z, Perrard XD, Perrard J, Liu H, Cox AR, Saha P, Hennighausen L, Hartig SM, Ballantyne CM, Wu H. " Deficiency of Stat1 in CD11c+ cells alters adipose tissue inflammation and improves metabolic dysfunctions in mice fed high-fat diet " Diabetes. 2021 ; 70 : 720-32.
Pubmed PMID: 33323395.
Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Miller M, Brinton EA, Jacobson TA, Ketchum SB, Doyle RT Jr, Juliano RA, Jiao L, Granowitz C, Tardif JC, Gregson J, Pocock SJ, Ballantyne CM, on behalf of the REDUCE-IT Investigators. " Effects of icosapent ethyl on total ischemic events: from REDUCE-IT " J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 ; 73 : 2791-802.
Pubmed PMID: 30898607.
Ray KK, Bays HE, Catapano AL, Lalwani ND, Bloedon LT, Sterling LR, Robinson PL, Ballantyne CM, for the CLEAR Harmony Trial. " Safety and efficacy of bempedoic acid to reduce LDL cholesterol. " N Engl J Med. 2019 ; 380 : 1022-32.
Jia X, Sun W, Hoogeveen RC, Nambi V, Matsushita K, Folsom AR, Heiss G, Couper DJ, Solomon SD, Boerwinkle E, Shah A, Selvin E, de Lemos JA, Ballantyne CM. " High-sensitivity troponin I and incident coronary events, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, and mortality in the ARIC Study " Circulation. 2019 ; 139 : 2642-53.
Pubmed PMID: 31030544.
Virani SS, Akeroyd JM, Nambi V, Michos ED, Morris PB, Nasir K, Smith SC, Stone NJ, Petersen LA, Ballantyne CM. " Applicability and cost implications for PCSK9 inhibitors based on the ODYSSEY Outcomes Trial: insights from the Department of Veterans Affairs " Circulation. 2019 ; 139 : 410-2.
Pubmed PMID: 30586689.
Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Miller M, Brinton EA, Jacobson TA, Ketchum SB, Doyle RT Jr, Juliano RA, Jiao L, Granowitz C, Tardif JC, Ballantyne CM, for the REDUCE-IT Investigators. " Cardiovascular risk reduction with icosapent ethyl for hypertriglyceridemia " N Engl J Med. 2019 ; 380 : 11-22.
Pubmed PMID: 30415628.
Saeed A, Nambi V, Sun W, Virani SS, Taffet G, Deswal A, Selvin E, Matsushita K, Wagenknecht LE, Hoogeveen R, Coresh J, de Lemos JA, Ballantyne CM. " Short-term global cardiovascular disease risk prediction in older adults. " J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 ; 71 : 2527-36.