Caring for the heart

By Patricia Nugent

In keeping with its patient-centered model of comprehensive, collaborative care, Summa Health is pleased to expand its cardiology team this month to include Dr. Loretta Isada, who has more than 25 years of experience in the field.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be here,” she says.

“Along with fellow cardiologists Dr. Stephen Heupler, Dr. Mark Iler and Dr. Stephen Klautky, each of us has our own area of expertise and we are constantly consulting with each other on patients, which brings a higher level of care.”

The team offers comprehensive, personalized options to meet a wide range of heart conditions, including coronary artery disease, valve disease, heart failure and heart rhythm abnormalities.

Meet Dr. Loretta Isada
Her resume is filled with degrees and accreditations: ACC fellow, board certified in cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and medical degree from the University of Toledo, just to name a few.

But here are several fun facts you will not find on Dr. Isada’s CV:

• Her adorable 18-pound sheltie, Trixie the Pixie, is a therapy dog and Dr. Isada plans to bring her to the practice as soon as she’s recertified.
• Along with her 13-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son, her family hosts exchange students. She admits to mercilessly (and hysterically) pranking them.
• She is a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
• Her husband is also a doctor, specializing in infectious diseases at another regional health system
• She was the only woman in a class of 40 in her cardiac rotation

Technology Fuels Advancements
Dr. Isada’s special interests include non-invasive cardiology, echocardiography and valve disease. She says technology has paved the way for advancements in treatment and overall care in these areas.

“More and more procedures today are being done in a minimally invasive capacity, without the need to crack the chest for open heart surgery, which produces better outcomes,” she reports.

One of the procedures she spends a significant portion of her time performing is intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE).

“It’s a way to assess valve function to help guide surgical treatment,” she says.

Another advancement in her field that’s been happening across the board in medicine is the miniaturization and mobilization of diagnostic elements.

“Everything is shrinking and becoming easier to work with,” she says. “For instance, a cardiac ultrasound machine used to be the size of a refrigerator. Now it’s hand-held and can go anywhere, from the office to the ER. And the quality of the imagery we are getting is far improved from what it used to be. We are able to see exactly what’s going on with the heart in all its pixelated glory.”

In addition to leading the charge in technology, the staff at Summa Health pays close attention to the mind-body connection as well. They offer the region’s only behavioral health program. Patients interface with psychologists to learn how to cope with depression, stress, anxiety and other issues. In the process, they learn mindfulness techniques to stay in the moment.

Beating Atrial Fibrillation
For the past eight years, Nancy Fesler of Akron has been treating her AFib with Dr. Isada by her side. It was discovered after she underwent a heart catheterization to monitor blood flow in her coronary arteries and heart’s chambers.

Each visit, which takes place every three to six months, Nancy’s heart is monitored via an EKG and blood draw. She and Dr. Isada go over her numbers and talk about positive lifestyle modifications for staying heart healthy.

“I look forward to our visits,” says Nancy, who appears decades younger than her 82 years. “Not only are they informative and educational, but we laugh a lot. Dr. Isada is meticulous and highly efficient. Just as important, she’s also friendly and caring. I feel very lucky to have found her.”

Lifestyle modifications that Dr. Isada pays close attention to are diet and exercise, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure.

“According to the new guidelines of staying beneath 130/80 blood pressure, 46 percent of the population is now considered hypertensive,” she says.

“Coronary artery disease remains the number one killer of both men and women. An estimated six million people suffer from heart disease. So, it’s positive to see the field of cardiology taking a close look at the importance of prevention.”

Summa Health is one of the largest integrated healthcare delivery systems in Ohio. The health system is nationally renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional approaches to health care delivery. Dr. Isada welcomes new patients. She sees them at the Summa Health White Pond Medical Center at 1 Park West Boulevard, Suite 350, in Akron. For more information or to request an appointment, visit SummaHealth.org/LIsada or call 330.376.0500.