Oana E. Zaha, MD

Oana Zaha, MD, is rheumatologist who treats patients with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism and disorders of the joints, muscles and tendons, as well as those with related lung ailments.

Of all the current developments in Dr. Zaha’s field, new medications for rheumatoid diseases excite her the most. Her most memorable patient was a young woman who arrived at the hospital suffering from heart failure and an altered mental status due to high blood pressure brought on by lupus. “She improved significantly within days and went home on a vasodilator pump to lower her blood pressure and immunosuppressive medication for lupus,” she says.

Dr. Zaha chose rheumatology because she enjoys working with diverse cases that require multiple diagnoses. In her research, she is studying the tissues that connect the joints, muscles and tendons, and on fibrosis that scars the lungs, hindering the organ’s function. She is especially interested in improving diagnosis of rheumatoid diseases by identifying biomarkers, substances in the body that indicate an illness or condition, as well as treatments to prevent lung fibrosis.