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Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD

Accepting New Patients

(30 Ratings)

Specializes in: Adult Pulmonology, Adult Nephrology and Adult Critical Care

Osmania Medical College

Professional interests include: bone diseases, acute kidney injury (AKI), electrolyte disorders, and more.

4502 Medical Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229

(210) 358-4000

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD is a pulmonologist in New Orleans, LA specializing in adult pulmonology, adult nephrology and adult critical care. He graduated from Osmania Medical College. Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD is affiliated with Ochsner Health, University Health, Ochsner Medical Center and UT Health San Antonio.

Office Locations

Address:

1514 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, LA 70121

Address:

4502 Medical Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229

Address:

8311 Ewing Halsell Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229

Address:

8435 Wurzbach Road
San Antonio, TX 78229

Some issues Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD can help you with:

Acute Kidney Failure

Kidney failure is when 80% to 90% of kidney function is lost. Kidney failure is also referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Kidneys are critical to human health, essentially acting as the body's built-in filtration system. When the kidneys can no longer function effectively, waste can accumulate in the blood and concentrations of nutrients can become unbalanced, impairing the body from performing critical functions. For example, if the kidneys do not regulate levels of potassium, the heart may develop arrhythmias (irregular rhythm) or even go into cardiac arrest.

Kidney failure may be caused by a number of health conditions that slowly damage and weaken the kidneys, such as:

Diabetes
High blood pressure
Urinary tract problems
Excessive alcohol consumption
Persistent and severe dehydration
Lupus
Acute kidney injury (AKI)

High blood pressure and diabetes are the most frequently observed causes of kidney failure. However, these conditions typically take years to develop into kidney failure and might escape notice during that time.

Symptoms of kidney failure include:

Difficulty sleeping
Fatigue
Reduced appetite
Weight loss
Edema (water retention)
Ankle and foot swelling
Anemia
Itching
Muscle cramps

No cure currently exists for kidney failure; however, medical treatment can permit people to live healthy and long lives. A nephrologist (kidney doctor) determines the most effective treatments for patients with kidney failure.

Dialysis is a well-known treatment for kidney failure that uses a machine to filter and clean waste from the blood. Patients attend regular dialysis sessions to replace their lost kidney function. Some patients with kidney failure are unable to survive without having dialysis every few days.

More advanced kidney failure may be treated by kidney transplant surgery. Deceased donor kidney transplant surgery provides kidney failure patients with a healthy kidney from a recently deceased person. Living donor kidney transplant surgery provides a kidney from a donor who is still alive. As most people have two kidneys, kidney failure patients' relatives or friends may offer to donate one of their kidneys. Kidney transplants can dramatically improve kidney function and lower or eliminate the need for dialysis.

People with kidney failure are advised to eat a nutritious diet, monitor and lower blood pressure, and to best manage diabetes. Exercise and a tobacco-free lifestyle may also help patients with kidney failure.

Anemia

Anemia is the most common blood disorder. It occurs when the body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues. Blood loss, insufficient red blood cell production, and red blood cell destruction are the three main causes of anemia. These issues may arise from such conditions as iron deficiency, heavy periods, ulcers, kidney disease, as well as some forms of cancer.

An individual with anemia will have the following symptoms: shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, cold hands or feet, paleness, and irritability. Anemia is diagnosed when blood tests show low counts for hemoglobin, which is the protein responsible for carrying oxygen to different tissues throughout the body.

Treatments for anemia are dependent on the kind of anemia an individual has. For example, iron supplementation may correct iron deficiency anemia. For anemia caused by chronic kidney failure, chemotherapy treatments, and HIV/AIDS, a group of medications called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents may be prescribed.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard deposits that form in the kidneys, made up of minerals that are normally present in urine. They can vary in size, from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a nickel, occasionally even larger. Sometimes they lodge in the kidney, and sometimes they break free and make their way out through the urinary tract, which can be extremely painful.

Kidney stones can be smooth or jagged and are yellow to brown in color. They are mostly comprised of the minerals calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus. Examining the stones to see what they are made of can show what caused the stone to be formed in the first place. For example, a stone made of mostly calcium, which is the most common type, can happen any time the urine becomes too concentrated due to dehydration or a blockage in the kidney. A uric acid stone forms when acid levels in the urine get too high, usually due to excessive consumption of animal protein such as meat and fish. A struvite stone is a sign of certain infections, and a cystine stone can be due to a genetic disorder that raises the risk of kidney stones.

The most common symptom of kidney stones is pain, either in the back or lower abdomen, or severe pain when urinating. There may also be blood in the urine. Treatment for kidney stones depends on how large the stone is. Very small stones can pass out of the body on their own, and they do not require treatment other than drinking adequate water and taking pain killers. Larger stones need to be broken apart and removed. The main treatment options are:

Shock wave lithotripsy, which uses sound wave vibrations to break apart the stone
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or the use of a very tiny tool (like a wire inserted through the back) to break apart and remove the stone
Ureteroscopy, a thin tube inserted through the urethra and bladder to the stone, where tiny tools can grasp the stone and remove

People who have had one kidney stone are at risk of developing another. To reduce this risk, patients are given instructions specific to the type of stone they developed. Generally the instructions will include drinking more water to dilute the urine, but it may also involve lowering sodium intake or eating less meat.

hospital care	1038
inpatient care	949
outpatient care	90

**Gender**
Male	154
Female	141

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	85
Black	210
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	94
From 75 to 84	61
85 and over	36
Less than 65	104

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	55
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	64
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	31
Diabetes	56
Dementia	33
Cancer	13

hospital care	3284
inpatient care	3082
outpatient care	192

**Gender**
Male	363
Female	399

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	573
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	218
From 75 to 84	180
85 and over	105
Less than 65	259

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	18
Ischemic Heart Disease	55
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	62
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	66
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	33
Diabetes	59
Dementia	35
Cancer	13

hospital care	2419
inpatient care	2257
outpatient care	163

**Gender**
Male	684
Female	870

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	1072
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	380
From 75 to 84	398
85 and over	252
Less than 65	524

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	57
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	23
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	64
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	56
Dementia	33
Cancer	15

**Gender**
Male	407
Female	435

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	613
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	265
From 75 to 84	187
85 and over	99
Less than 65	291

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	17
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	72
Asthma	34
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	64
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	31
Diabetes	60
Dementia	33
Cancer	13

hospital care	581
inpatient care	560
outpatient care	22

**Gender**
Male	115
Female	134

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	158
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	73
From 75 to 84	40
85 and over	29
Less than 65	107

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	19
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	38
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	62
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	32
Diabetes	50
Dementia	33
Cancer	13

dialysis	17
doctor visit	53
hospital care	111
inpatient care	113

**Gender**
Male	60
Female	62

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	67
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	47
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	42

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	18
Heart Failure	59
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	63
Dementia	19
Cancer	0

dialysis	50
doctor visit	282
hospital care	495
inpatient care	497

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD treated as a pulmonologist in New Orleans, LA were hospital care, inpatient care, outpatient care and catheterization.

catheterization	38
dialysis	33
doctor visit	168
hospital care	1399
inpatient care	1292
outpatient care	144

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD.

**Gender**
Female	204
Male	178

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	269
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	8
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	52
75 to 84	86
Less than 65	132
65 to 74	107

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

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD treated were hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart failure and diabetes.

Hypertension	45
High Cholesterol	31
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	10
Osteoporosis	4
Heart Failure	37
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	34
Atrial Fibrillation	10
Dementia	18
Cancer	6

Education & Training

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD graduated from Osmania Medical College. He completed residency at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine - Critical Care American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine - Nephrology and has a state license in Maryland.

Medical School: Osmania Medical College

Residency: Greater Baltimore Medical Center (2013)

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine - Critical Care American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine - Nephrology

Licensed In: Maryland

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Ochsner Health

University Health

Ochsner Medical Center

UT Health San Antonio

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Superior Health Plan, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, Humana PPO, Coventry HMO, WellCare Medicare Advantage, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), Prime Health, Medicare Advantage, TriWest, MultiPlan, Magellan Health Services, Three Rivers Provider Network PPO, United Healthcare PPO, Coventry PPO, Coventry Workers' Compensation, Humana HMO, Aetna, United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Community Care Network (CCN), Molina Healthcare, TRICARE, HealthSmart, Aetna EPO, First Health, Aetna PPO, WellPoint, Aetna HMO, Oscar - Commercial Exchange, Interlink - Transplant, Point Comfort Underwriters (PCU) - Refugee Medical Assistance, Provider Network of America (PNOA) - Commercial, Insurance Accepted, OptumHealth - Transplant ONLY, Scott & White Health Plan - HMO, Gonzaba Medical Group - Transplant ONLY, Universal Benefits Consortium - Brokerage Firm (School Districts), University of Incarnate Word (Gilsbar) - Direct Employer, Scott & White Health Plan - PPO, Tokio Marine - Transplant, 90 Degree Benefits - Commercial, 6 Degrees - Transplant, LifeTrac - Transplant, Point Comfort Underwriters (PCU) - Unaccompanied Children, Ancira Enterprises - Direct Employer, Velocity National Provider Network - Wrap Network, Independent Medical Systems (IMS) - PPO, Entrust - TPA, EBSO - TPA and Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial PPO.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Superior Health Plan

BlueCross BlueShield of Texas

Humana PPO

Coventry HMO

WellCare Medicare Advantage

Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)

Prime Health

Medicare Advantage

TriWest

MultiPlan

Magellan Health Services

Three Rivers Provider Network PPO

United Healthcare PPO

Coventry PPO

Coventry Workers' Compensation

Humana HMO

Aetna

United Healthcare

Medicaid

Humana

Community Care Network (CCN)

Molina Healthcare

TRICARE

HealthSmart

Aetna EPO

First Health

Aetna PPO

WellPoint

Aetna HMO

Oscar - Commercial Exchange

Interlink - Transplant

Point Comfort Underwriters (PCU) - Refugee Medical Assistance

Provider Network of America (PNOA) - Commercial

Insurance Accepted

OptumHealth - Transplant ONLY

Scott & White Health Plan - HMO

Gonzaba Medical Group - Transplant ONLY

Universal Benefits Consortium - Brokerage Firm (School Districts)

University of Incarnate Word (Gilsbar) - Direct Employer

Scott & White Health Plan - PPO

Tokio Marine - Transplant

90 Degree Benefits - Commercial

6 Degrees - Transplant

LifeTrac - Transplant

Point Comfort Underwriters (PCU) - Unaccompanied Children

Ancira Enterprises - Direct Employer

Velocity National Provider Network - Wrap Network

Independent Medical Systems (IMS) - PPO

Entrust - TPA

EBSO - TPA

Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial PPO

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Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 30 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in New Orleans, LA.

4.9

Overall Rating

(30 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

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

**Payments by Company**
Baxter Healthcare	$266 Renal - Acute $101	Renal - Non Product Related $85	Renal - PD $80
NxStage Medical, Inc.	$172 System One $151	NXSTAGE SYSTEM ONE $21
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.	$167 SAMSCA $89	JYNARQUE $78
Pfizer Inc.	$164 ELIQUIS $135	ZYVOX $29
Theravance Biopharma Inc.	$114 VIBATIV $114
Other	$444 ACTHAR $78	OFEV $65	ELIQUIS $38	VELTASSA $27	AVYCAZ $25	Other $211

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$1,327

Biography

Dr. Karthik Kovvuru's specialties are adult critical care, adult nephrology, and adult pulmonology. He is rated highly by his patients. Areas of expertise for Dr. Kovvuru include vitamin D deficiency, portal hypertension, and renal artery stenosis. Dr. Kovvuru's professional affiliations include the University Health, Ochsner Medical Center, and UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Kovvuru can accept Aetna EPO, Blue California, and HealthSmart, as well as other insurance carriers. He welcomes new patients at his office inNew Orleans, LA as reported by Ochsner Health. He attended Osmania Medical College for medical school and subsequently trained at Greater Baltimore Medical Center for residency. Dr. Kovvuru (or staff) speaks the following languages: Telugu and Hindi.

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Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD

Office Locations

Some issues Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD can help you with:

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2013

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2014

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2015

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2016

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2017

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karthik Kovvuru, MD in 2020

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

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

Education & Training

Affiliations & Hospitals

Insurance Information

Ratings & Reviews

General Payments

Biography

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