Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, FACC

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Adjunct Clinical Professor, Morehouse School of Medicine
Clinical Professor, Cardiology Division, Emory University
Chief Science Officer, Association of Black Cardiologists

Biographical Sketch

Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, is a clinical cardiologist and was previously the Medical Director of Heartbeats Life Center, and was also Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Xavier University College of Pharmacy in New Orleans.  In the community, Dr. Ferdinand is a principal investigator of the Health Heart Community Projects, a cardiovascular risk program targeting African American and other high-risk populations.  Health Heart is a nationally recognized model for community-based health screening and intervention.  He was host and producer of "Health Issues 2000." A community cable talk show, and previously produced "You and Your Health," a local radio talk show in New Orleans.
Dr. Ferdinand was a member of the ALLHAT Data Safety and Monitoring Board and chair of Section Four of the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee. He is currently a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Minority Populations for the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee.  He was director of NHLBI Physician's Heath Network, a program that educated physicians and the lay population on cardiovascular risk reduction.
He is past president and member of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, past president of the Orleans Division of the American Heart Association, and past chair of the Board of Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.
Dr. Ferdinand received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, a diplomat certified in the subspecialty of nuclear cardiology, an American Society of Hypertension certified specialist in clinical hypertension, and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.  Dr. Ferdinand has written for Cardiology Clinics, Annual of Drug Therapy, and Cardiovascular Diseases in Blacks.
In 2004, Dr. Ferdinand received the Louis B. Russell, Jr. Memorial Award of the Heart Association and the Walter M Booker Community Service Award of the Association of Black Cardiologists.
He presently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, displaced from his native New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, September 2005, which destroyed his cardiovascular center and severely damaged his home. In Atlanta, he is chief of Science Officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists, as well as the Director of their Hurricane Katrina Relief effort, known as HOPE (Health Outreach and Empowerment) Initiative.
Additionally, Dr. Ferdinand is Clinical Professor, Cardiology Division Department of Medicine at Emory University Atlanta, and an Adjunct Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine also in Atlanta, Georgia.

Faculty Disclosure Statement

Dr. Ferdinand has disclosed that he has received research support and honoraria from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; Merck & Co., Inc.; NitroMed; Novartis; and Pfizer Inc.