Cedars-Sinai cardiologist Dr. Asher Kimchi died Oct. 7 at age 76.
Dr. Kimchi served as clinical chief of cardiology, vice-clinical chief of the Department of Medicine and founder and co-medical director of the Preventive and Consultative Heart Center of Excellence at Smidt Heart Institute, according to an Oct. 17 Cedars-Sinai release shared with Becker's.
"Dr. Kimchi's passing is a devastating loss to his family, his patients and our physician community," Marc Edelstein, MD, Cedars-Sinai chief of staff, wrote in the release. "To say that he was both a leader and a legend here is a vast understatement. He will be deeply missed."
Dr. Kimchi became an attending physician at Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai in 1983. During his 40-year tenure, he served as clinical professor of medicine and cardiology and as clinical chief of the Division of Cardiology from 2013 to 2016, and was an elected member of the Cedars-Sinai medical executive committee for 11 years.
Dr. Kimchi played a key role in establishing The Smidt Heart Institute's Department of Cardiology; he also founded the World Congress of Heart Disease and the International Academy of Cardiology.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, two sons and four grandchildren.