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Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD

(4 Ratings)

Specializes in: Adult Hospital Medicine

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Professional interests include: women's health issues, depression, asthma, and more.

2790 Truxtun Road Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92106

(858) 541-0181

Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD is an internal medicine hospitalist in San Diego, CA specializing in adult hospital medicine. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD is affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital, Sharp HealthCare and KEN ROTH MD AND ROLF EHLERS MD SAN DIEGO INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOC.

Office Locations

Address:

2790 Truxtun Road Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92106

Address:

8765 Aero Drive Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92123

Some issues Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD can help you with:

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the tissue and airways of the lungs become extremely sensitive to certain substances. When these substances are breathed in, the lungs become inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten and squeeze the lungs, and passages within the lungs swell and tighten. The airways themselves produce mucus, which further clogs the tightened, swollen airways. A person having an asthma attack finds it very difficult to breathe, and a severe attack can even be fatal.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but people with asthma are most often diagnosed as children. Symptoms can include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and coughing. Some people have mild symptoms all the time, and some people have no symptoms at all, but everyone with asthma is susceptible to occasional severe attacks or flare-ups of symptoms when they are exposed to triggers. Triggers vary widely but can include:

Allergens (dust mites, pet fur, mold, pollen, grass)
Irritants (smoke, pollution, dust, chemicals)
Viral infections
Physical activity, especially outdoors
Certain medications or chemicals in foods (aspirin, sulfites)

Treatment for most asthma patients involves three steps. Patients learn what their asthma triggers are and avoid them. They take a daily control medication, usually an inhaled corticosteroid, to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Also, they have rescue medication with them at all times to take in case of a severe attack. These quick-acting inhaled medications relax the muscles around the airways and allow the lungs to open up for air.

There is no cure for asthma, but with treatment it should not interfere with daily life and activities.

Depression

Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."

Some common symptoms of depression include:

Feeling sad, guilty, empty or hopeless
Fatigue and a lack of energy and motivation
A loss of pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
Unusual sleep or eating habits
Mental fog -- trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Physical aches and pains
Suicidal thoughts or a preoccupation with death

We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.

Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.

Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.

Headache

Headaches are dull or sharp pains that occur in regions of the head and face. Headaches occur in many different forms and vary in location, severity, and duration. They are not necessarily a sign of an underlying illness and often resolve on their own. However, headaches can present significant day-to-day discomfort. The most common forms of headaches include:

Migraines: one of the most prevalent types of headache, migraines typically last from two hours to three days, causing a throbbing pain on one side of the head. Nausea, sensitivity to bright lights, fatigue, and blurred vision all may accompany migraines. While migraines have no known cure, medications and lifestyle modifications may ease symptoms. Avoiding behaviors that may trigger migraines such as lack of sleep or loud, repetitive noises can improve headaches.
Tension headaches: also known as stress headaches, these headaches are characterized by pain in the upper top part of the head and behind the eyes. Tension headaches are common and have no exact cause; however, certain practices may increase the likelihood of developing them. For example, wearing one's hair up in a tight hairstyle or wearing a restrictive hat can put pressure on the scalp, leading to a tension headache. Other causes of tension headaches may include alcohol or nicotine use, caffeine, teeth grinding, stress, overexertion, and eye strain. Some people find posture improvement, alternating sleeping positions, and neck exercise can alleviate tension headaches. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motren) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) may also reduce tension-headache pain.
Sinus headaches: this type of headache causes pain in the sinuses, but may progress to pain and pressure in the eyes, forehead, and cheeks. These headaches are often accompanied by nasal congestion, fatigue, and ache in the upper teeth and may or may not be caused by sinus infections or sinusitis (sinus inflammation). Some sinus headaches are allergic headaches, which arise from allergic triggers such as seasonal allergies (pollen allergies) or hay fever, causing sinus pressure and facial pain. Other symptoms of allergic headaches include nasal congestion, irritated or watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. Allergic headaches may be treated with antihistamine medications such as cetirizine (Zyrtec). Allergic headaches are common during pollen season, which is usually around springtime.
Cluster headaches: these headaches occur suddenly and cause stabbing, sharp pain from one eye down to the one side of the neck. They are often referred to as the most aggravating and painful type of headaches. Other symptoms of cluster headaches include nasal congestion, droopy eyelid, and enlarged pupil on one side of the face. In the past, it was widely believed that cluster headaches were caused by a bevy or "cluster" of multiple types of headaches, such as a combination of an allergic headache and a tension headache. Medical experts now recognize that cluster headaches are a separate and unique form of headache. Cluster headaches last for around twenty minutes to two hours. They may recur throughout the period of a day or several weeks, but usually dissipate within a month. Treatment for cluster headaches includes over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motren) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Prescription Prednisone can help with swelling and Verapamil may reduce pain by relaxing the blood vessels.

Living with headaches is challenging; headaches can prevent people from fully enjoying life. Medical treatment and care in avoiding certain triggers can help those with headaches begin to feel normal once again.

blood draw	805
doctor visit	1469
hospital care	854
inpatient care	842
lab tests	523
outpatient care	12
preventive care	150
vaccines	99

**Gender**
Male	324
Female	443

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	611
Black	24
Hispanic	66
Asian	43
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	299
From 75 to 84	256
85 and over	134
Less than 65	78

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	42
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	31
Dementia	14
Cancer	14

blood draw	819
cytology	12
doctor visit	1480
ear procedures	18
gynecologic pathology	12
hospital care	677
inpatient care	678
lab tests	434
preventive care	190
vaccines	108

**Gender**
Male	343
Female	407

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	610
Black	0
Hispanic	50
Asian	51
Other	21
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	306
From 75 to 84	235
85 and over	129
Less than 65	80

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	48
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	27
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	29
Dementia	13
Cancer	14

blood draw	16
cytology	15
doctor visit	1423
ear procedures	25
gynecologic pathology	15
hospital care	552
inpatient care	553
lab tests	217
preventive care	339
vaccines	195

**Gender**
Male	684
Female	772

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1204
Black	0
Hispanic	102
Asian	78
Other	36
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	616
From 75 to 84	420
85 and over	250
Less than 65	170

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	29
Dementia	13
Cancer	14

**Gender**
Male	315
Female	360

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	552
Black	16
Hispanic	50
Asian	42
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	306
From 75 to 84	182
85 and over	129
Less than 65	58

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	28
Dementia	13
Cancer	15

doctor visit	1117
hospital care	572
inpatient care	573
lab tests	23
preventive care	166
vaccines	170

**Gender**
Male	334
Female	311

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	523
Black	0
Hispanic	48
Asian	36
Other	22
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	280
From 75 to 84	210
85 and over	106
Less than 65	49

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	32
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	26
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	29
Dementia	12
Cancer	14

doctor visit	1117
hospital care	228
inpatient care	229
preventive care	145
vaccines	149

**Gender**
Male	298
Female	268

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	459
Black	0
Hispanic	39
Asian	36
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	256
From 75 to 84	185
85 and over	89
Less than 65	36

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	28
Dementia	11
Cancer	14

doctor visit	1128
hospital care	57
inpatient care	58
preventive care	167
vaccines	171

**Gender**
Male	291
Female	245

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	449
Black	0
Hispanic	29
Asian	25
Other	22
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	258
From 75 to 84	181
85 and over	70
Less than 65	27

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	24
Dementia	8
Cancer	16

doctor visit	857
hospital care	33
inpatient care	34
preventive care	135
vaccines	139

**Gender**
Male	266
Female	246

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	428
Black	0
Hispanic	30
Asian	0
Other	23
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	236
From 75 to 84	184
85 and over	67
Less than 65	25

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	25
Dementia	9
Cancer	14

cardiac procedures	11
doctor visit	1540
hospital care	421
inpatient care	422
preventive care	224
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	13
skin procedures	13
vaccines	216

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD treated as an internal medicine hospitalist in San Diego, CA were blood draw, hospital care, inpatient care and lab tests.

aspiration	18
blood draw	546
cardiac procedures	11
cytology	13
doctor visit	1252
ear procedures	21
gynecologic pathology	13
hospital care	426
injections	18
inpatient care	423
lab tests	247
outpatient care	15
preventive care	205
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	13
skin procedures	13
vaccines	172

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD.

**Gender**
Male	285
Female	305

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	4
Asian / Pacific Islander	31
Non-Hispanic White	483
Hispanic	41
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	12

**Age**
75 to 84	185
85 and over	97
Less than 65	52
65 to 74	255

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	52
High Cholesterol	38
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	5
Osteoporosis	5
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	22
Atrial Fibrillation	11
Dementia	9
Cancer	11

Education & Training

Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He completed residency at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the Internal medicine Internal medicine and has a state license in California.

Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Residency: University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Affiliated Hospitals

Board Certification: Internal medicine Internal medicine

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Sharp Memorial Hospital

Sharp HealthCare

KEN ROTH MD AND ROLF EHLERS MD SAN DIEGO INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOC

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 4 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in San Diego, CA.

Overall Rating

(4 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Rolf Ehlers, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Novo Nordisk Inc	$1,056 Ozempic $332	RYBELSUS $267	Victoza $132	Tresiba $74	Saxenda $42	Other $209
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP	$873 FARXIGA $282	CRESTOR $141	BEVESPI AEROSPHERE $93	BREZTRI $93	BYDUREON PEN $88	Other $175
Pfizer Inc.	$831 ELIQUIS $329	NURTEC ODT $121	LYRICA $79	PREVNAR 20 $71	CHANTIX $46	Other $184
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC	$809 TOUJEO $453	LANTUS $143	PRALUENT $133	SOLIQUA $33	LANTUS SOLOSTAR $14	Other $33
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc	$742 XARELTO $318	INVOKANA $296	INVOKAMET $125	$3
Other	$7,327 UBRELVY $476	Synthroid $305	VRAYLAR $220	Vesicare $217	JANUMET XR $200	Other $5,909