UCLA Health South Asian Heart Program

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality globally, with an increase in reported deaths year after year. Despite constituting only 25 percent of the world’s population, South Asians (people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka) bear the disproportionate burden of more than 50 percent of cardiovascular deaths around the globe.

Established in 2025, the UCLA Health South Asian Heart Program, housed within the Division of Cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, brings together a team of experts to solve big questions in cardiac biology and cardiovascular medicine with the overall mission to prevent heart disease amongst South Asians and other high-risk populations.

Official Website + Program Highlights

Our program addresses the unique challenges faced by the South Asian population, setting actionable goals focused on prevention and early diagnosis, and providing culturally sensitive, comprehensive clinical care to improve longevity.

• Long-term Heart Health Education: Tailored, individualized health education to promote lasting cardiovascular well-being.
• Multidisciplinary Clinical Care: Collaborative, comprehensive care specifically for patients of South Asian ancestry.
• Early Diagnosis & Risk Assessment: Advancing early detection and proactive assessment to reduce future cardiac risks.
• Heart Disease Detection & Treatment: Providing expert guidance on the management and treatment of known heart conditions.
• Rapid Evaluation & Subspecialty Referrals: Offering expedited evaluations, advanced imaging, and access to specialized care across Southern California.

Leadership

Dr. Ravi Dave, M.D. is the Director of UCLA Interventional Cardiology and Fellowship Program, one of the largest academic programs in the country. As a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine, he specializes in the prevention of heart disease, treatment of complex coronary artery disease, utilization of newer tests for early detection, patient education program development, and community engagement to increase awareness of heart disease. He also serves as a Clinical Chief of UCLA Cardiology.

With immense gratitude to Drs. Vinod and Jayashree Jivrajka for establishing the Jivrajka Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Interventional Cardiology serving as a catalyst for advancing cardiovascular disease prevention for the South Asian community.

To learn more please visit: Bolstering access for populations at risk for heart disease

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