Please join us in welcoming Jessica Haddad, MD, to IHA Family & Internal Medicine – WestArbor. She has clinical interests in women’s health, pediatrics, preventive care, cryotherapy and the management of chronic diseases and is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Haddad or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Jeffrey Van Hooser, MD, to IHA Internal Medicine & Pediatrics – Plymouth. He has clinical interests in adolescent medicine, preventive medicine and working with adult survivors of childhood illnesses and is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Van Hooser or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Madhu Sennerikuppam, MD, MPH, to IHA Pediatric Healthcare – Canton. She has clinical interests in asthma, allergies, newborn care and nutrition and is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Sennerikuppam or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Laura Nielsen, DO, to IHA Family & Internal Medicine – Howell. She has clinical interests in adolescent medicine, women’s health, preventive medicine, skin procedures and joint injections and is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Nielsen or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition where plaque filled with cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels of the heart. As a result, your heart does not get enough blood flow and oxygen, which leads to a variety of conditions ranging from angina to heart attacks. The biggest risk factors for developing CAD are smoking, diabetes and family history. Hypertension, high cholesterol levels and poor lifestyle habits, like lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet, are also risk factors.
The best treatment of CAD is prevention. Quit smoking, control your diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You want your LDL (bad cholesterol) to be low, and you want your HDL (good cholesterol) to be high. This can be achieved with diet, exercise and medications.
Symptoms of CAD can be vague. Chest pain is the most common symptom, but it can also present as jaw pain, neck pain, arm pain, back pain, shortness of breath or fatigue. Early recognition is key. Contrary to popular belief, women over 55-years-old carry a higher risk than men of the same age. The risk in younger men is higher than in older men.
There are various ways to treat CAD. Medications, lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, controlling your diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as stents or bypass surgery. A stent is a device that looks like the spring of a ballpoint pen, which keeps arteries open. These are life-saving in situations of a heart attack. Nowadays, open heart bypass surgeries are reserved for extensive blockages in multiple areas of the heart, and/or when the blockage is in a critical part of the heart, which is not suitable for a stent.
The latest in stent technology is bioabsorbable stents, which disappear after their job of keeping the arteries open is done. These are currently being used by myself and other Michigan Heart physicians. If you have questions about CAD, please talk to your primary care physician or cardiologist.
Please join us in welcoming Matthew Kohlenberg, MD, to IHA Internal Medicine & Pediatrics – Plymouth. He has clinical interests in adolescent medicine, smoking cessation, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and asthma/COPD and is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Kohlenberg or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Nicole Kohnen, MD, to IHA Family & Internal Medicine – WestArbor. Dr. Kohnen enjoys volunteering and has traveled abroad for volunteer opportunities at international hospitals. She is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Kohnen or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Yiding (Peter) Cai, MD, to IHA Internal Medicine – Domino’s Farms. Dr. Cai has clinical interests in heart failure and chronic kidney disease. He is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Cai or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Ashley Dowgiert, MD, to IHA Associates in Gynecology & Obstetrics – WestArbor. Dr. Dowgiert has clinical interests in prenatal care including both routine and high-risk pregnancies, adolescent gynecology, vaginal and minimally invasive robotic surgery. She is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Dowgiert or schedule an appointment online, please click here.
Please join us in welcoming Shivani Nanda, MD, to IHA Dermatology – WestArbor. Dr. Nanda has clinical interests in medical, pediatric and general dermatology. She is welcoming new patients. To learn more about Dr. Nanda, click here.