Division of Cardiovascular Diseases:

Cardiac Amyloidosis

Our Cardiac Amyloid experts specialize in the care of patients of both light chain amyloid (AL) and transthyretin amyloid (ATTR). All of our cardiologists are board certified advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists, working in a multidisciplinary collaboration with evaluation by hematologists, neurologists and nephrologists. Using the latest advanced imaging techniques, such as nuclear medicine scans and cardiac MRIs, we have developed a streamlined approach to identification and diagnosis of this disease. With genetic testing, we can also assist patients in understanding how the disease may affect members of their family. We are actively researching these conditions and currently offer a number of therapies to manage cardiac amyloidosis, including a new drug developed through the efforts of the amyloid team at Scripps Research.

Areas of particular interest and expertise are noted below:

J. Thomas Heywood, MD

  • Director of Heart Failure & Mechanical Circulatory Support, Director of Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Advanced Heart failure medical therapies
  • Hemodynamics
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Renal dysfunction in heart failure
  • Implanted heart failure monitors
  • Mechanical circulatory support devices
  • Cardiac Amyloidosis
  • Cardio-Oncology

Rajeev Mohan, MD

  • Director of Cardiac Amyloid & Cardio-oncology
  • Advanced Heart Failure Therapies
  • Heart Transplant Care
  • LVAD Therapy
  • Mechanical circulatory support devices and cardiogenic shock
  • Inter-atrial shunt devices
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Cardiac Amyloidosis
  • Cardio-Oncology

Ajay Srivastava, MD

  • Director of Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support
  • Heart failure systems of care/population health
  • Heart rhythm devices in heart failure
  • Cardiogenic shock/circulatory support devices
  • Cardiac Amyloidosis
  • Cardio-Oncology
  • Cardiac sarcoidosis

Featured Services

  • Light chain amyloid

  • Transthyretin amyloid (ATTR)

  • Advanced Imaging Services

  • Genetic testing

  • Drug therapies

Recognitions & Awards

  • Dr. Heywood has been named one of San Diego’s Top Cardiologists and was formerly the Director of the Cardiac Transplant Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center

  • Dr. Mohan received the Heart Failure Society of America Travel Award and Teacher of the Year Award for fellows at Scripps Clinic

  • Dr. Srivastava has won numerous recognitions, including: International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation Travel Award; Young Investigator Award Finalist- American Society of Nuclear Cardiology; Feasibility Research Award- American Society of Nuclear Cardiology; and Teacher of the Year award from Scripps Clinic

  • Co-founding and participating in numerous well-regarded cardiology forums including the Scripps Heart Failure and Arrhythmia Symposiums, The Scripps Cardiomyopathy and Cardio-Oncology Conference and the Scripps Cardiogenic Shock and Resuscitation Symposium

  • Our physicians have authored chapters for leading cardiology textbooks

Through Scripps’ ACGME cardiology fellowship as well as a dedicated ACGME advanced heart failure fellowship, fellows have the opportunity to be involved with the amyloid clinic, working alongside our award-winning physicians.

For more information or to apply, please visit the Graduate Medical Education page.

Current research projects include:

  • Using echocardiography to make an earlier diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis, with the goal of improving patient symptoms before changes to the heart are end-stage
  • Using electronic medical records and artificial intelligence algorithms to better understand who is at risk for cardiac amyloidosis and potentially identify them earlier before too much damage is done
  • Participation in a national registry of cardiac amyloidosis, enabling close collaboration with programs across the country, to jointly foster research and education about the disease
  • Enrollment in a new clinical trial for cardiac amyloidosis – joining a multi-center national trial to test a novel therapy for the treatment of cardiac amyloidosis