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Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH

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Specializes in: Emergency Medicine

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Professional interests include: stroke, hypertension (high blood pressure), abdominal pain, and more.

5102 W. Campbell Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85301

(602) 344-5011

Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH is an emergency medicine doctor in Phoenix, AZ specializing in emergency medicine. She graduated from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH is affiliated with District Medical Group.

Office Locations

Address:

2601 E Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008

Address:

5102 W. Campbell Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85301

Some issues Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH can help you with:

Heart Problems

The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. This smooth muscle expands and contracts rhythmically an entire lifetime, pumping blood to the lungs and then to every other cell in the body. When heart problems occur, it becomes difficult for the body to get the nutrients and oxygen it needs via the blood. So while there are a variety of illnesses and disorders that affect the heart, most of them cause weakness, exhaustion and shortness of breath. The most common heart conditions include heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, and valve disorders.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. This includes coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Some conditions, such as genetics, cannot be controlled. But there are many other things one can do to lower their risk for heart disease. Controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing or stopping smoking, exercising more and losing weight if needed, and eating a diet low in sodium can all protect the heart.

Angina is a squeezing type of chest pain that happens when the muscles around the heart don't get enough oxygen. It can be regular or infrequent. Usually, angina is caused by coronary heart disease. However, not all chest pain is angina. Chest pain can also be caused by a lung infection or panic attack, for example, so it is important to have any sudden pain checked.

Arrhythmia is the word for when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly with skipped beats. It can feel frightening, and depending on the type it can be dangerous, but in most cases arrhythmia is not serious and can be treated. It is very common, especially in older adults.

Heart valve problems can happen in any one of the the heart's four valves that keep blood flowing where it needs to go. Babies can be born with problems in their heart valves, or valves can be damaged by infections. The valves can stiffen and become less mobile, or they can stop closing properly and 'leak' when the heart beats. Valve problems can usually be repaired surgically.

Stroke

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is ruptured or blocked. The brain cannot function without a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, so when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, even for a brief moment, brain cells begin to die. When a sufficient number of brain cells die, the brain itself can no longer function, meaning that strokes are very dangerous. Strokes can result in impaired movement, speech, cognitive ability, the impairment of important physical functions, and even death.

Anyone can have a stroke, regardless of age and health. Strokes are known to happen at random. However, certain conditions and behaviors can increase one's risk of stroke over time.

Risk factors for stroke include:

Heart disease
Older age
Smoking
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol and lipids

There are two main types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs more commonly and is when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked. Blockages are caused by blood clots and built-up plaque (deposits of fat and cholesterol), which leads to atherosclerosis, a condition where the blood vessels narrow and harden. The resultant restricted blood flow may lead to an ischemic stroke by blocking essential oxygen to the brain, causing the heart to exert more effort to pump blood.

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in or around the brain ruptures. The burst vessel leaks blood into surrounding brain tissue, causing irreparable brain damage.

Hemorrhagic strokes are less common and may occur from head injuries, brain aneurysms, brain tumors, and bleeding disorders, amongst other conditions.

Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes require immediate medical treatment. Medical intervention can prevent severe and life-threatening brain damage. Signs of stroke include:

-Disorientation or confusion

-Difficulty speaking

-Difficulty walking

-Impaired vision

-Weakness in the face, legs, or arms

-Severe headaches

When someone suspected of having a stroke reaches the hospital, the patient will usually receive a CT or other scan that provides an image of the brain. The scan results can reveal clotted or leaking blood in the brain. Physical exams, neurological exams, and blood tests may also be used to check for blood clotting and sugar. Treatment begins generally immediately if a stroke is detected.

Medical treatment for ischemic strokes includes a thrombolytic medicine which breaks up and disperses blood clots. This medicine can greatly improve stroke recovery and long-term health. However, the thrombolytic medicine must be administered as soon as possible to achieve these results. Other treatments for ischemic strokes are blood thinners and thrombectomy, a surgical procedure to remove a blood clot in the brain. Thrombectomy is performed by inserting a catheter (thin needle) into the artery to reach the blood clot and mechanically remove it. With the clot removed, normal blood flow to the brain resumes. Thrombectomy is typically performed at most six hours after a patient shows signs of a stroke.

Hemorrhagic strokes are treated with blood-saving medication and surgery. For a hemorrhagic stroke caused by the rupture of an aneurysm (blood vessel bulges), surgery to stem the bleeding aneurysm and vessel may be used. One surgical technique is stent-assisted coiling, which adds a stent (small wire-meshed tube) into the blood vessel to block the leaking opening of the aneurysm. A non-surgical procedure is endovascular coiling, where a catheter (thin, hollow needle) places a platinum wire coil at the spot of the aneurysm. The coil blocks bleeding and prevents the aneurysm from continuing to leak blood. These procedures are usually combined with blood-thickening medications. Blood transfusions may be administered if substantial blood loss has occurred.

Since stroke patients may have lost some essential functions while the blood flow to their brains was obstructed, both ischemic stroke and hemorrhage stroke patients may receive post-stroke rehabilitation to rebuild their physical and mental abilities. Some restorative treatments include occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Patients may also receive care from neurologists, who can assist patients in recovering certain brain functions and cognitive abilities, and rehabilitation psychologists, who may help patients with their emotional, behavioral, and cognitive recovery. Some stroke patients require lengthy rehabilitation and may never fully regain function, while others may recover more quickly. While the fastest recovery improvements are usually seen in the first three or four months, stroke rehabilitation can last for years.

If someone begins to show signs of stroke, contact emergency services and call 9-1-1 immediately since blood flow must be restored as soon as possible to help avoid significant brain damage. If an ambulance takes the person to the hospital, paramedics can initiate stroke treatment as soon as the patient enters the ambulance, allowing for more prompt medical intervention and care.

In The News

“"It's kind of the post-Covid problems where we still have nursing shortages, and we still have ancillary staff shortages," said Dr. Kara Geren, an emergency medicine physician at Valleywise Health...”—"Phoenix breaks city record with 19 consecutive days of 110-degree heat", NBC News, July 2023

“During intense heat waves, as has been unfolding across the Southwest, even being in contact with these surfaces for short periods of time can do serious damage, said Dr. Kara Geren, an emergency...”—"As temperatures spike, so do cases of second- and third-degree burns", NBC News, July 2023

emergency care	90

**Gender**
Male	61
Female	37

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	44
Black	0
Hispanic	26
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	22
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	61

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	38
Depression	43
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	27
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	39
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

emergency care	70

**Gender**
Male	49
Female	34

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	38
Black	0
Hispanic	22
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	59

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	24
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	41
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

emergency care	61

**Gender**
Male	88
Female	58

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	64
Black	44
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	90

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

emergency care	182

**Gender**
Male	106
Female	88

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	139
Black	0
Hispanic	31
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	70
From 75 to 84	43
85 and over	18
Less than 65	63

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	40
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	32
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	33
Diabetes	38
Dementia	17
Cancer	10

emergency care	157

**Gender**
Male	92
Female	73

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	80
Black	36
Hispanic	38
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	51
From 75 to 84	17
85 and over	14
Less than 65	83

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	26
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	36
Dementia	16
Cancer	8

emergency care	67

**Gender**
Male	42
Female	26

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	34
Black	0
Hispanic	15
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	36

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	38
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	47
Asthma	22
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	38
Dementia	21
Cancer	0

emergency care	105

**Gender**
Male	63
Female	45

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	55
Black	0
Hispanic	32
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	37
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	54

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	45
Chronic Kidney Disease	55
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	24
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	31
Diabetes	38
Dementia	19
Cancer	0

emergency care	114

**Gender**
Male	69
Female	43

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	58
Black	19
Hispanic	21
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	42
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	51

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	53
Chronic Kidney Disease	54
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	29
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	29
Diabetes	45
Dementia	23
Cancer	0

emergency care	168

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH treated as an emergency medicine doctor in Phoenix, AZ were emergency care.

emergency care	112

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH.

**Gender**
Male	57
Female	40

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	9
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	51
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	18
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	6
85 and over	3
Less than 65	49
65 to 74	22

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease and depression.

Hypertension	54
High Cholesterol	36
Stroke	2
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	16
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	30
Atrial Fibrillation	4
Cancer	1
Dementia	9

Education & Training

Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH graduated from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She completed residency at Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, West Penn Hospital/Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh. She is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine and has a state license in Arizona.

Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Residency: Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, West Penn Hospital/Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh

Board Certification: American Board of Emergency Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine

Licensed In: Arizona

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Kara Iskyan Geren, MD, MPH is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

District Medical Group

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General Payments

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

**Payments by Company**
Gilead Sciences Inc	$19,702 $19,702
Gilead Sciences, Inc.	$8,957 $8,957

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$27,125
Travel and Lodging	$1,106
Food and Beverage	$427

Biography

Dr. Kara Geren is an emergency medicine specialist in Phoenix, AZ. She is conversant in Spanish. Areas of expertise for Dr. Geren include bleeding, diabetes, and gynecological problems. Dr. Geren is professionally affiliated with District Medical Group. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.