By Nadia Isabel Abelhad, MD, FACC
I joined Holy Cross Health last year as a cardiologist from the Cardiovascular Institute of San Diego. As my husband and I settled into our new neighborhood, we discovered Dammiano’s, a quaint, local coffee shop on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale and began chatting with a couple who works there.
One day, the husband of the couple and employee at Dammiano’s, Jeff Kimmel, shared that he and his wife would be leaving in five days for a trip to Ecuador to celebrate his mother-in-law’s 90th birthday. Because of Jeff’s cardiac history — he had a heart attack, triple bypass and pacemaker — his wife expressed concern that the high elevation in Cuenca, Ecuador could trigger a cardiac incident.
I squeezed him in for an appointment right away and performed an EKG, which showed normal results. However, his blood pressure was extremely high, and his pacemaker battery was 13 years old. We tested it and determined it needed a new battery, which was handled by my wonderful colleague, clinical cardiac electrophysiologist Alexandra M. Sanchez, M.D. His medication also needed to be adjusted. Unfortunately, this meant it was not safe for him to travel.
“I was so pleased with how friendly and professional everyone was at Dr. Abelhad’s office. They made me feel important,” Jeff said. “I like to reference the Yiddish word ‘bashert,’ which means destiny. I believe it was destiny that led me to that conversation with Dr. Abelhad in the coffee shop that ultimately saved my life.”
This is just one of many patient stories that have touched my heart over the years and make this profession so fulfilling. Although I was the one who initiated care for Jeff, we relied on the involvement of other team members every step of the way.
Holy Cross Health provides the highest quality, robust cardiac care in one place. We have an extensive complement of services ranging from general and interventional cardiology to cardiovascular and cardiothoracic procedures and surgeries to a structural heart program. Our interdisciplinary team works in tandem to provide every patient with kind, compassionate care personalized to their needs.
I came on board at a pivotal moment for Holy Cross Medical Group as they elevated their cardiothoracic surgery program with the addition of two internationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeons, Kushagra Katariya, M.D., FACS, who was named medical director and chief of cardiothoracic surgery, and Marc Gibber, M.D., who has assumed the role of surgical director of the intensive care unit.
Holy Cross Health also wears the Arrhythmia Center of Excellence designation as a badge of honor. Here we perform advanced mapping and ablation techniques including atrial fibrillation pulse field ablation, ventricular tachycardia ablation, pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, lead extractions and Watchman. The Arrhythmia Center’s nurse navigator holds the hands of patients, their families and caregivers through the entire process of their healthcare journey and continues checking on them for the remainder of their lives.
Certified in advanced heart failure, CardioMEMS and Barostim implantable device, Holy Cross Health is focused on extending lives. We have been named among U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals edition as a High Performing Hospital for pacemaker implantation and received the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Commitment to Quality Award for achieving high performance across three or more clinical areas in the Get With The Guidelines® program.
It’s our hope that the procedures we perform have long-lasting results for many happy tomorrows. I continue to monitor Jeff’s pacemaker and blood pressure on a regular basis. Hopefully, he and his wife can reschedule their trip to Ecuador soon for a belated celebration.
Since it’s American Heart Month, I also want to use this opportunity to remind everyone that cardiac care is not only in the hands of health care professionals. Heart health is up to every individual’s lifestyle choices. Proper nutrition, consistent exercise, stress management and quality sleep will go a long way.
On February 6, the AHA encourages everyone to wear a red outfit to draw special attention to women’s cardiovascular health. According to the organization, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women. To combat this statistic, my colleagues and I at the Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center at Holy Cross HealthPlex offer a one-stop-shop for women’s health care, including treating cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Nadia Isabel Abelhad is a cardiologist with Holy Cross Medical Group.
