Richard Cheng, MD

Assistant Professor

Dr. Richard Cheng is a cardiologist who specializes in the comprehensive care of patients with heart failure. Having trained in both advanced heart failure and interventional cardiology, his approach combines medical therapy optimization with minimally invasive surgeries and novel devices that can improve heart function. As both a heart transplant and interventional cardiologist, he also specializes in supporting patients in cardiogenic shock – a type of shock that may occur when the heart can't pump well enough to meet the body's needs – with temporary circulatory pumps as a bridge to recovery or heart transplantation.

Cheng's research is focused on how to rescue patients in cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest and on optimizing the performance of minimally invasive repair of leaky heart valves. His research interests include temporary mechanical circulatory support, stents and stent-valves (tiny tubes that can be placed surgically to keep blood vessels open) in patients with heart failure, minimally invasive mitral and tricuspid valve repair, and coronary artery disease after heart transplantation.

After earning his medical degree at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Cheng completed residency in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He completed fellowships in cardiology, interventional cardiology, and advanced heart failure and transplant at Cedars-Sinai.

Cheng belongs to the American College of Cardiology, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, and American Heart Association.
Education
Fellowship, 06/2019 - Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Fellowship, 06/2018 - Interventional/Structural Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Fellowship, 06/2017 - Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Residency, 06/2014 - Internal Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
MD, 06/2011 - Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Publications

  1. El-Sherbini AH, Shah A, Cheng R, Elsebaie A, Harby AA, Redfearn D, El-Diasty M. Machine Learning for Predicting Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery: A Scoping Review of Current Literature. The American journal of cardiology 2023. PMID: 37871512


  2. Drazner MH, Ambardekar AV, Berlacher K, Blumer V, Chatur S, Cheng R, Cheng RK, Grandin EW, Gorodeski EZ, Kataria R, Katz JN, Kittleson MM, Krishnamoorthy A, Lala A, Lenneman AJ, Lohr NL, Margulies KB, Mentz RJ, Reza N, Wilcox J, Youmans QR, Zieroth S, Teerlink JR. The HFSA Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship Consensus Conference. Journal of cardiac failure 2023. PMID: 37806488


  3. Cowger JA, Basir MB, Baran DA, Hayward CS, Rangaswami J, Walton A, Tita C, Minear S, Hakemi E, Klein L, Cheng R, Wu R, Mohanty BD, Heuring JJ, Neely E, Shah P, Aortix CRS Pilot Study Investigators. Safety and Performance of the Aortix Device in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and Cardiorenal Syndrome. JACC. Heart failure 2023. PMID: 37804307


  4. Cheng R, Azarbal B, Smith J. Donor-Transmitted Coronary Artery Disease: Another Avenue to Expand Heart Transplantation? Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2023. PMID: 37612007


  5. Cheng RK, Cuddy SAM. Neurohormonal blockade in transthyretin amyloidosis, perhaps one size does not fit all? European heart journal 2023. PMID: 37224517


  6. Yogeswaran V, Wadden E, Szewczyk W, Barac A, Simon MS, Eaton C, Cheng RK, Reding KW. A narrative review of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in breast cancer survivors. Heart (British Cardiac Society) 2023. PMID: 37258098


  7. Leedy DJ, Cuddy SAM, Cheng RK. Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis: Underrecognized in the Underrepresented. Journal of the American Heart Association 2023. PMID: 37486081


  8. Yogeswaran V, Hidano D, Diaz AE, Van Spall HGC, Mamas MA, Roth GA, Cheng RK. Regional variations in heart failure: a global perspective. Heart (British Cardiac Society) 2023. PMID: 37353316


  10. Nazer B, Cheng RK. An Opportunity to Refine Our Understanding of Right Ventricular Involvement in Cardiac Sarcoidosis. JACC. Cardiovascular imaging 2023. PMID: 36881414


  11. Yogeswaran V, Singulane CC, Slivnick JA, Kirkpatrick JN, Addetia K, Lang RM, Vasbinder A, Liu JE, Maurer MS, Cheng RK. Multichamber Strain Predicts Atrial Fibrillation in Cardiac Amyloidosis. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography 2022. PMID: 36280125


  12. Brusca SB, Caughron H, Njoroge JN, Cheng R, O'Brien CG, Barnett CF. The shock team: a multidisciplinary approach to early patient phenotyping and appropriate care escalation in cardiogenic shock. 2015 Year Book of Pediatrics. Ed. Cabana MD. (Elsevier; Philadelphia, PA) 2022. PMID: 35612936


  13. Kwan ML, Cheng RK, Iribarren C, Shen H, Laurent CA, Roh JM, Hershman DL, Kushi LH, Greenlee H, Rana JS. Risk of heart failure with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction in women with breast cancer. Breast cancer research and treatment 2022. PMID: 35429322


  14. Perry AS, Mudigonda P, Huang GS, Qureshi B, Cheng RK, Levy WC, Li S. Long-Term Outcomes and Risk Stratification of Patients With Heart Failure With Recovered Ejection Fraction. 2015 Year Book of Pediatrics. Ed. Cabana MD. (Elsevier; Philadelphia, PA) 2022. PMID: 35382925


  15. Wang DD, Cheng RK, Tian R. Combat Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity With the Power of Mitochondria Transfer. JACC. CardioOncology 2021. PMID: 34604805


  16. Cheng RK, Maurer MS. Recognition and Implications of Undiagnosed Cardiac Amyloid Patients in HFpEF Trials. JACC. Heart failure 2021. PMID: 34509407


  17. Cheng R. How to Manage Mitral Stenosis Due to Mitral Annular Calcification. Current cardiology reports 2021. PMID: 34427785


  18. Mudigonda P, Berardi C, Chetram V, Barac A, Cheng R. Implications of cancer prior to and after heart transplantation. Heart (British Cardiac Society) 2021. PMID: 34210749


  19. Leedy D, Tiwana JK, Mamas M, Hira R, Cheng R. Coronary revascularisation outcomes in patients with cancer. Heart (British Cardiac Society) 2021. PMID: 34415850


  20. Schlam I, Lee AY, Li S, Sheikh FH, Zaghlol R, Basyal B, Gallagher C, Molina E, Mahr C, Cheng RK, Barac A. Left Ventricular Assist Devices in Patients�With Active Malignancies. JACC. CardioOncology 2021. PMID: 34396339


  21. Schueler S, Silvestry SC, Cotts WG, Slaughter MS, Levy WC, Cheng RK, Beckman JA, Villinger J, Ismyrloglou E, Tsintzos SI, Mahr C. Cost-effectiveness of left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy in the United Kingdom. 2015 Year Book of Pediatrics. Ed. Cabana MD. (Elsevier; Philadelphia, PA) 2021. PMID: 34047072


  22. Chatterjee NA, Jensen PN, Harris AW, Nguyen DD, Huang HD, Cheng RK, Savla JJ, Larsen TR, Gomez JMD, Du-Fay-de-Lavallaz JM, Lemaitre RN, McKnight B, Gharib SA, Sotoodehnia N. Admission respiratory status predicts mortality in COVID-19. Influenza and other respiratory viruses 2021. PMID: 34028169


  23. Lam DH, Tiwana J, Li S, Kirkpatrick JN, Cheng RK. Appropriate use of multimodality stress testing for chest pain in new patient referrals to cardiologists. 2015 Year Book of Pediatrics. Ed. Cabana MD. (Elsevier; Philadelphia, PA) 2021. PMID: 32804780


  24. Cheng RK, Mooney DM, Chien CV, Shah KS, Vest A, Jefferies JL. SGLT2 Inhibitors: Who Should Prescribe Them for Patients With Heart Failure? Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2021. PMID: 33706883


  25. Zigray H, Elman S, Cheng RK, Li S, Lee J, Soine L, Caldwell J, Alessio AM. Patient factors and outcomes associated with discordance between quantitative and qualitative cardiac PET ischemia information. PloS one 2021. PMID: 33657111


  26. Symonds L, Natarajan P, Cheng RK, Lam DL, Kilgore M, Kim J, Calhoun K, Minami E, Gralow JR. When cardiomyopathy, cancer, and COVID-19 collide: A case report. The breast journal 2021. PMID: 33527538


  27. Alvarez-Cardona JA, Ray J, Carver J, Zaha V, Cheng R, Yang E, Mitchell JD, Stockerl-Goldstein K, Kondapalli L, Dent S, Arnold A, Brown SA, Leja M, Barac A, Lenihan DJ, Herrmann J, Cardio-Oncology Leadership Council. Cardio-Oncology Education and Training: JACC Council Perspectives. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2020. PMID: 33153587


  28. Li S, Beckman JA, Welch NG, Cheng RK, Rockom SW, Levy WC, O'Brien KD, Dardas TF, Lin S, Leary PJ, Kirkpatrick J, McCabe JM, Bjelkengren J, Chassagne F, Aliseda A, Zimpfer D, Mahr C. Accuracy of Doppler blood pressure measurement in HeartMate 3 ventricular assist device patients. ESC heart failure 2020. PMID: 33001579


  29. Cheng RK, Levy WC, Vasbinder A, Teruya S, De Los Santos J, Leedy D, Maurer MS. Diuretic Dose and NYHA Functional Class Are Independent Predictors of Mortality in Patients With Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis. JACC. CardioOncology 2020. PMID: 33073249


  30. Morikawa T, Miyasaka M, Flint N, Manabe O, Dawkins S, Cheng R, Hussaini A, Makar M, Kar S, Nakamura M. Right-to-Left Shunt Through Iatrogenic Atrial Septal Defect After MitraClip Procedure. JACC. Cardiovascular interventions 2020. PMID: 32646695


  31. Vincent LL, Wan SH, Steinberg ZL, Kapnadak S, Nishimura RA, Cheng RK. Constrictive Pericarditis After Lung�Transplantation. JACC. Case reports 2020. PMID: 34317386


  32. Nguyen D, Ellison D, Ngo C, Steinberg Z, Don C, Cheng RK. Intraventricular Free-Floating Thrombus in an Impella-Supported Patient: Damage Control in a No-Win Scenario. JACC. Case reports 2020. PMID: 34317374


  33. Chatterjee NA, Cheng RK. Cardiovascular disease and COVID-19: implications for prevention, surveillance and treatment. Heart (British Cardiac Society) 2020. PMID: 32451360


  34. Kalayci A, Peacock WF, Nagurney JT, Hollander JE, Levy PD, Singer AJ, Shapiro NI, Cheng RK, Cannon CM, Blomkalns AL, Walters EL, Christenson RH, Chen-Tournoux A, Nowak RM, Lurie MD, Pang PS, Kastner P, Masson S, Gibson CM, Gaggin HK, Januzzi JL. Echocardiographic assessment of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 and early identification of acute heart failure. ESC heart failure 2020. PMID: 32406612


  35. Daud A, Mehra MR, Siu A, Johnson MR, Perch M, Budev M, Zakharia Y, Cheng R, Nativi-Nicolau J, Stehlik J. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in heart or lung transplantation: Early results from a registry initiative. The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation 2020. PMID: 32265077


  36. Cheng R, Esmailian F, Moriguchi J. On the Edge of a Precipice: A Bridge to Options for Patients with End-Stage Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock. ASAIO journal (American Society for Artificial Internal Organs : 1992) 2020. PMID: 31977353


  37. Cheng RK, Kirkpatrick JN, Sorror ML, Barac A. Cardio-Oncology and the Intersection of Cancer and Cardiotoxicity: The Role of Palliative Care. JACC. CardioOncology 2019. PMID: 34396199


  38. Cheng R, Dawkins S, Hamilton MA, Makar M, Hussaini A, Azarbal B, Patel JK, Kobashigawa JA, Trento A, Makkar RR, Kar S. Percutaneous Mitral Repair for Patients in Cardiogenic Shock Requiring Inotropes and Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support. JACC. Cardiovascular interventions 2019. PMID: 31806229


  39. Cheng R, Tank R, Ramzy D, Azarbal B, Chung J, Esmailian F, Kobashigawa JA, Moriguchi JD, Arabia FA. Clinical Outcomes of Impella Microaxial Devices Used to Salvage Cardiogenic Shock as a Bridge to Durable Circulatory Support or Cardiac Transplantation. 2018. PMID: 30281541


  40. Sato T, Azarbal B, Cheng R, Esmailian F, Patel J, Kittleson M, Czer L, Thottam M, Levine R, Dimbil S, Olymbios M, Anzai T, Hamilton MA, Khayal T, Kobashigawa JA. Does ex vivo perfusion lead to more or less intimal thickening in the first-year post-heart transplantation? Volume 33 of Issue 8. 2019. PMID: 31230384


  41. Sato T, Cheng R, Azarbal B, Kittleson M, Patel J, Czer L, Levine R, Dimbil S, Olymbios M, Anzai T, Kransdorf E, Chang DH, Hamilton MA, Esmailian F, Kobashigawa J. Combined heart and kidney transplantation-Is there a protective effect against cardiac allograft vasculopathy using intravascular ultrasound? 2019. PMID: 31301966


  42. Branch KR, Probstfield JL, Eikelboom JW, Bosch J, Maggioni AP, Cheng RK, Bhatt DL, Avezum A, Fox KAA, Connolly SJ, Shestakovska O, Yusuf S. Rivaroxaban With or Without Aspirin in Patients With Heart Failure and Chronic Coronary or Peripheral Artery Disease. Circulation 2019. PMID: 31163978


  45. Cheng R, Kar S, Siegel RJ, Nakamura M. Cleft mitral leaflets and severe mitral regurgitation: Testing the limits of percutaneous mitral valve repair. Volume 93 of Issue 6. 2018. PMID: 30430718


  46. Wunderlich NC, Beigel R, Ho SY, Nietlispach F, Cheng R, Agricola E, Siegel RJ. Imaging for Mitral Interventions: Methods and Efficacy. Volume 11 of Issue 6. 2018. PMID: 29880112


  47. Cheng RK, Levy WC. Echocardiographic Insights into the Hemodynamics of Systolic Heart Failure: Can This Guide Titration of Medical Therapy? Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography 2018. PMID: 29730184


  48. Cheng R, Kransdorf EP, Wei J, Patel JK, Kobashigawa JA, Azarbal B. Angiogenesis on coronary angiography is a marker for accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy as assessed by intravascular ultrasound. Volume 31 of Issue 11. 2017. PMID: 28786501


  49. Cheng R, Dawkins S, Tat E, Makar M, Hussaini A, Makkar RR, Trento A, Siegel RJ, Kar S. Relation of Residual Mitral Regurgitation Despite Elevated Mitral Gradients to Risk of Heart Failure Hospitalization After MitraClip Repair. Volume 120 of Issue 9. The American journal of cardiology 2017. PMID: 29025679


  51. Cheng R, Vanichsarn C, Patel JK, Currier J, Chang DH, Kittleson MM, Makkar R, Kobashigawa JA, Azarbal B. Long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes of percutanenous coronary intervention with everolimus-eluting stents for the treatment of cardiac allograft vasculopathy. Volume 90 of Issue 1. 2016. PMID: 27862865


  52. Cheng R, Tat E, Siegel RJ, Arsanjani R, Hussaini A, Makar M, Mizutani Y, Trento A, Kar S. Mitral annular calcification is not associated with decreased procedural success, durability of repair, or left ventricular remodelling in percutaneous edge-to-edge repair of mitral regurgitation. Volume 12 of Issue 9. 2016. PMID: 27753604


  53. Cheng R, Ramzy D, Azarbal B, Arabia FA, Esmailian F, Czer LS, Kobashigawa JA, Moriguchi JD. Device Strategies for Patients in INTERMACS Profiles 1 and 2 Cardiogenic Shock: Double Bridge With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Initial Implant of More Durable Devices. Volume 41 of Issue 3. 2016. PMID: 27658844


  57. Azarbal B, Cheng R, Vanichsarn C, Patel JK, Czer LS, Chang DH, Kittleson MM, Kobashigawa JA. Induction Therapy With Antithymocyte Globulin in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Transplantation Is Associated With Decreased Coronary Plaque Progression as Assessed by Intravascular Ultrasound. Volume 9 of Issue 1. 2016. PMID: 26747860


  58. Cheng R, Arsanjani R, Tat E, Cox J, Uberoi A, Aron R, Kar S. Not Your Typical Hole-in-the-Wall: Percutaneous Closure of an Acquired Post-Myocardial Infarction Ventriculoatrial Gerbode Defect. Volume 8 of Issue 14. 2015. PMID: 26604054


  59. Cheng R, Hachamovitch R, Makkar R, Ramzy D, Moriguchi JD, Arabia FA, Esmailian F, Azarbal B. Lack of Survival Benefit Found With Use of Intraaortic Balloon Pump in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Pooled Experience of 1517 Patients. Volume 27 of Issue 10. 2015. PMID: 26208379


  60. Kobashigawa J, Patel J, Azarbal B, Kittleson M, Chang D, Czer L, Daun T, Luu M, Trento A, Cheng R, Esmailian F. Randomized pilot trial of gene expression profiling versus heart biopsy in the first year after heart transplant: early invasive monitoring attenuation through gene expression trial. Volume 8 of Issue 3. 2015. PMID: 25697852


  61. Cheng R, Chan AP, Ehdaie A, Bersohn MM. Heeding the sign: macroscopic T-wave alternans. Volume 128 of Issue 5. The American journal of medicine 2015. PMID: 25637757


  62. Cheng R, Azarbal B, Yung A, Chang DH, Patel JK, Kobashigawa JA. Elevated immune monitoring early after cardiac transplantation is associated with increased plaque progression by intravascular ultrasound. Volume 29 of Issue 2. 2015. PMID: 25429902


  63. Cheng R, Azarbal A, Currier J, Thomson LE, Hamilton MA, Esmailian F, Azarbal B. Tricuspid Regurgitation, the Forgotten Valvular Lesion-A Contemporary Review of Etiology, Prevalence, and Management Options. Volume 16 of Issue 3. 2015. PMID: 26451764


  64. Cheng RK, Aboulhosn J, Nsair A. Percutaneous angioplasty of stenotic outflow graft anastomosis of HeartMate II. Volume 7 of Issue 6. 2014. PMID: 24835325


  65. Cheng R, Hachamovitch R, Kittleson M, Patel J, Arabia F, Moriguchi J, Esmailian F, Azarbal B. Clinical outcomes in fulminant myocarditis requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a weighted meta-analysis of 170 patients. Volume 20 of Issue 6. Journal of cardiac failure 2014. PMID: 24642377


  66. Hillstrom HJ, Garg R, Kraszewski A, Lenhoff M, Carter T, Backus SI, Wolff A, Syrkin G, Cheng R, Wolfe SW. Development of an anatomical wrist joint coordinate system to quantify motion during functional tasks. Volume 30 of Issue 4. 2014. PMID: 24615208


  69. Nsair A, Liem DA, Cadeiras M, Cheng RK, Allareddy M, Kwon M, Shemin R, Deng MC. Molecular basis of recovering on mechanical circulatory support. Volume 10 of Issue 1 Suppl. 2014. PMID: 24262353


  70. Cheng R, Hachamovitch R, Kittleson M, Patel J, Arabia F, Moriguchi J, Esmailian F, Azarbal B. Complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for treatment of cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest: a meta-analysis of 1,866 adult patients. Volume 97 of Issue 2. 2013. PMID: 24210621


  71. Cheng RK, DePasquale EC, Deng MC, Nsair A, Horwich TB. Obesity in heart failure: impact on survival and treatment modalities. Expert review of cardiovascular therapy 2013. PMID: 23944985


  72. Wei J, Azarbal B, Singh S, Rafiei M, Cheng R, Patel J, Esmailian F, Currier J, Kobashigawa J. Frequency of coronary artery fistulae is increased after orthotopic heart transplantation. Volume 32 of Issue 7. 2013. PMID: 23664527


  73. Cheng R, Chang M, Yuan Ng C. Risks from Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: A Review of Methods, Efficacy, and Safety. Volume 4 of Issue 6. 2012. PMID: 28496733


  74. Ellis SJ, Hillstrom H, Cheng R, Lipman J, Garrison G, Deland JT. The development of an intraoperative plantar pressure assessment device. Volume 30 of Issue 4. 2009. PMID: 19356358


  75. Ellis SJ, Cheng R, Prokopis P, Chetboun A, Wolfe SW, Athanasian EA, Weiland AJ. Treatment of proximal interphalangeal dorsal fracture-dislocation injuries with dynamic external fixation: a pins and rubber band system. Volume 32 of Issue 8. 2007. PMID: 17923310


  76. Varma H, Cheng R, Voisine C, Hart AC, Stockwell BR. Inhibitors of metabolism rescue cell death in Huntington's disease models. Volume 104 of Issue 36. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2007. PMID: 17726098


  77. Cheng RK, Asai T, Tang H, Dashoush NH, Kara RJ, Costa KD, Naka Y, Wu EX, Wolgemuth DJ, Chaudhry HW. Cyclin A2 induces cardiac regeneration after myocardial infarction and prevents heart failure. Volume 100 of Issue 12. 2007. PMID: 17495221


  78. Woo YJ, Panlilio CM, Cheng RK, Liao GP, Suarez EE, Atluri P, Chaudhry HW. Myocardial regeneration therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy with cyclin A2. The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery 2007. PMID: 17382628