Dr. Jessica M. Ruff, MSPH, MA, MD is a public health physician in East Cleveland, OH specializing in public health & general preventive medicine and family medicine. Dr. Jessica M. Ruff, MSPH, MA, MD is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic, Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center and Wellness and Preventive Medicine, Willoughby Hills.
13944 Euclid Avenue
East Cleveland, OH 44112
1950 Richmond Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Unable to locate address.
2785 Som Center Road Mail Code Whb
Willoughby, OH 44094
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It happens when the blood vessels carrying blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, narrow and harden. This occurs when cholesterol, a type of fat found in the blood, builds up to form plaque, which sticks to the inner walls of the arteries. As plaque accumulates, less blood can flow through the arteries, which may lead to the following:
Certain factors may increase risk for the disease, like smoking, lack of exercise, being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. CAD tends to develop over decades, so it can go undetected until it has become quite severe. A diagnosis may be established using such tests as:
Treatments for the disease include medications such as vasodilators, like nitroglycerin, which dilates (widens) the coronary arteries. CAD may also be treated by a procedure called angioplasty with stent placement, where a balloon is inflated inside a diseased artery to flatten the plaque deposits against the artery walls, creating more room for blood to flow.
In some severe cases of the disease, multiple arteries may be blocked, and an open heart surgery called coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary. This operation transplants a vessel from another part of the body to form a graft that goes past the narrowed arteries, thus enabling blood to flow around those arteries.
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:
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.
She completed residency at Meharry Medical College Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the Preventive Medicine - Public Health & General Preventive Medicine Preventive Medicine - Clinical Informatics and has a state license in Ohio.
Residency: Meharry Medical College Affiliated Hospitals (2017)
Board Certification: Preventive Medicine - Public Health & General Preventive Medicine Preventive Medicine - Clinical Informatics
Licensed In: Ohio
Dr. Jessica M. Ruff, MSPH, MA, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Jessica M. Ruff, MSPH, MA, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 19 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Jessica M. Ruff, MSPH, MA, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in East Cleveland, OH.
Dr. Jessica Ruff is a specialist in family medicine and public health & general preventive medicine in Lyndhurst, OH, East Cleveland, OH, and Willoughby Hills, OH. Dr. Ruff has received a 5.0 out of 5 star rating by her patients. Her clinical interests include depression, high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), and prediabetes. She completed her residency training at a hospital affiliated with Meharry Medical College. She is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic.