Ileana Piña, MD, MPH, a pioneer in the development of HF therapies

Drawing on the devastation of her father’s early death from an MI, Piña has helped transform rehabilitation and recovery for patients with HF.

Ileana Piña, MD, MPH, is professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and serves as an adviser/consultant to the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Division of Epidemiology.

Piña received her MD at the University of Miami in 1976 and eventually earned her Masters of Public Health in 2009 after a 3-year Fellowship in Quality at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Cleveland. She has served in a directorial capacity at the following departments and institutions: exercise laboratory, the University of Miami; HF and cardiac rehabilitation, Hahnemann University; cardiomyopathy, Temple University; and HF/transplantation at University Hospitals Health System at Case Medical Center.

Ileana Piña, MD, MPH Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Adviser/Consultant to the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Division of Epidemiology. National Spokeswoman for Go Red for Women and the Heart Truth-Ohio. Member, American Heart Association’s writing group for Guidelines for Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention in Women. Member, HF and Transplantation section of Cardiology Today’s Editorial Board.

Additionally, Piña’s research in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients with HF has been internationally recognized and included in more than 70 publications. She is a national spokeswoman for Go Red for Women and the Heart Truth-Ohio, and is a member of the American Heart Association’s writing group for Guidelines for Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention in Women.

In 1995, Piña, along with colleague Hector Ventura, MD, of the Oschner Medical Center in New Orleans, established and initiated The National Heart Failure Training Program (N-Heft) at Case Western Reserve University, which seeks to educate physicians and other health care professionals in best practices for treating HF. When not involved in active clinical work or medicine, Piña enjoys spending time with her daughter and getting a healthy amount of exercise each day.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not practicing medicine?

I enjoy spending time with my daughter, going to wine-tasting events and decorating.

If you hadn’t gone into cardiology or medicine, what would you have done?

I would have been a ballerina. I took ballet for most of my life before I got pregnant. I enjoyed the exercise, the beautiful discipline, the ability to express myself through movement and the wonderful music.

What would you consider one of your biggest successes in your specialty?

Being an investigator in clinical trials that have helped lead to the development of the drugs we now have for HF. When my dad was only 42, he died from a heart attack. This event has had a lot to do with my presence in the field. And now, to see how far we’ve come with treatments since I started training gives me a sense of pride knowing I’ve been a part of this development process.

What is the last book you read or music that you purchased? Why, and what did you think of it?

The latest book I’ve been reading is Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson. It has lots of wisdom in it that I appreciate. The last music I purchased was a recording of Chris Botti, a trumpeter, who was performing a concert in Boston. He had guest singers, including Josh Groban, whom I’m a really big fan of.

Who do you most admire, and what would you ask that person if you had 5 minutes with him/her?

That would be Jesus Christ. If I could talk to him, I’d ask him, “How are we ever going to resolve the health care issue?” Then I’d ask, “Will we ever see peace in the Middle East?” And if there was still time, my third question would be, “Where am I most needed?”

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

To follow my heart. This was said to me by a wonderful spiritual mentor named Esperanza, which translated means ‘hope.’ She was a very simple woman with a tremendous amount of wisdom, who also happened to be Cuban like myself.

Whom do you consider your mentor?

I have never really had a mentor like I mentor to others. But there are some people I can credit as helping to provide guidance and opening doors: Nanette Wenger, MD, from Emory University; and Alfred Bove, MD, PhD, my chief at Temple University.

What kind of diet and exercise regimen do you have?

I do Pilates three to four times a week. I eat low-fat foods, a lot of grains and fish two to three times a week. I try to get to the gym regularly and incorporate physical activity into my regular life. For example, when my daughter and I were in New York recently, attending A Little Night Music on Broadway, we walked wherever we went. I generally walk very fast, and try to take the stairs whenever I can.

What do you think will have the biggest influence on cardiology in the next 10 years?

Our ability to use more foresight into what we recommend to patients. The newest is not always the best. Physicians need to accept the concept of team care, and insurance and Medicare need to pay for team care in chronic diseases.

What is your favorite travel destination?

That would probably be Big Sur in the Monterey Peninsula, California; followed closely by the Italian coastline, specifically Amalfi. Regarding Big Sur, I remember my first visit was after my sophomore year of medical school. I saw a picture of it in National Geographic, fell in love and decided I had to visit. I’ve been back several times since.

What is your favorite restaurant?

Jean Georges in Manhattan. I am a foodie, and I love their food. Every time I go, I have to get their salad, which has this special dressing that uses truffle oil. Even if it’s not on the menu, I ask them to make it for me. – by Brian Ellis