Kathleen Newkumet, MD
Oakland Magazine Best East Bay Doctors 2009-2010
(nat'l survery)
Pediatric Cardiologist, Division of Cardiology
Medical School: Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.
Residency: University of Hawaii, Honolulu
Fellowships: Pediatric Critical Care, Kapiolani Medical Center, Honolulu; Pediatric Cardiology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
Board Certification: Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology
Language(s): English, some Spanish
Summary
Kathleen Newkumet, MD, is an expert in cardiac intensive care. She treats children of all ages, including babies born with heart defects who need complex surgery. She also specializes in general pediatric heart problems such as chest pain, abnormal heart beats and fainting that can result from heart palpitations. Additionally, Dr. Newkumet screens young athletes who may be at risk for heart disease and sudden cardiac death, or sudden athletic death syndrome. She can discuss topics such as congenital heart defects, preventing heart disease, obesity and heart disease, and the effects of anti-depressants and ADHD drugs on the heart.
Sudden cardiac death in young athletes has a variety of causes. Young athletes with thin chest walls are likely to experience rapid, regular heart rhythms or irregular disorganized heart rhythms during exercise. About 1 in 200,000 young athletes die of sudden cardiac death. Males are affected 9 times more often than females. Football and basketball players in the United States may be at the highest risk.
Source: The Merck Manuals-Online Medical Library
Expertise
Cardiac intensive care
Cardiac intensivists specialize in medical diagnosis and stabilization of critically ill patients with heart defects. They provide essential care before, during and immediately after a cardiac surgery. Comprehensive surgical management of a patient with a cardiac heart defect requires close collaboration between cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac and general intensivists, and cardiac anesthesiologists.
Sudden cardiac death
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurs when an individual with either known or unknown cardiac disease dies unexpectedly from heart complications. SCD occurs in some young athletes (please see Compelling Fact).
Professional and Personal background
You can reach this physician by contacting Media Relations.
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