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Faculty Profile

Roberta K. Oka, RN, ANP, DNSc.

Associate Professor
Dept. of Community Health Systems
UCSF Box 0608
2 Koret Way, #N505L
San Francisco, CA  94143-0608
Telephone:  (415) 514-3407      Fax:  415·476-3407
Email:  roberta.oka@nursing.ucsf.edu

Research/Academic Interests

My program of biobehavioral research focuses on: (1) developing effective multiple risk factor reduction strategies that can be utilized and implemented in a wide array of clinical settings to improve outcomes and quality of care in populations at risk or with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and; (2) to determine the biological basis for the benefits accrued by CVD risk reduction interventions, specifically vascular homeostasis.

My previous research focused on improving exercise capacity using community based interventions in a variety of populations, including the elderly and adults at risk for CVD. These studies led to a a randomized clinical trial that examined the efficacy of a home-based combined endurance and resistance training program to improve functional capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure. (Funded by the American Heart Association and the Agency for Health Care Policy Research) This study was one of the first to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of home-based exercise in improving symptoms and quality of life and its effect on nutritional intake and body composition in heart failure patients.

Most recently, I completed a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial to determine the lowest effective dose of oral L-arginine on endothelial function, functional capacity and quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study funded by the National Institutes of Nursing Research.

Current Projects/Practice

Currently, I am involved in several research projects.

I am the P.I. of a 5 year randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of multiple CVD risk factor reduction on exercise capacity and vascular health in patients with peripheral arterial disease. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Nursing Research.

I am also the P.I. of a study to develop and test the efficacy of alternate noninvasive methods to examine endothelial function in individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease. This is a multicenter, multidisciplinary study in collaboration with Stanford University, the Palo Alto and Livermore Veterans Administration Hospitals Dept of Cardiology and Othalmology, University of Wisconsin Dept of Opthalmology and University of Melbourne.

I am also involved in a quality improvement project at the San Francisco General Hospital. This is collaboration with the UCSF Dept of Family Community Medicine. The aim of this project is to determine the feasibility of alternate models for delivery of health care and improving chronic disease management.

My current clinical practice is in adult cardiology at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital.

Teaching

My teaching in the masters program includes a course on health promotion and disease prevention and in developing the clinical skills, diagnostic and clinical reasoning of beginning adult nurse practitioner students in primary care.

I also teach two Advanced nursing seminars in the doctoral program, one that focuses on biomarkers and the other that emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention in adults.

Professional Activities

• 1986 - present, American College of Sports Medicine

• 1991 - 1998, American Geriatrics Society

• 1984 - present, Council of Cardiovascular Nursing - American Heart Association

• 1991 - 1998, Gerontological Society of America

• 1984 - present, Sigma Theta Tau

• 1991 - 1998, Society of Behavioral Medicine

• 1999 - present, Society of Vascular Medicine and Biology

• 1991 - 1998, Southwest Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine

• 1999 - 2002, Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology - American Heart Association

• 2004 - present, Society of Vascular Nursing

• 2004 - present, Western Institute of Nursing

• 2004 - present, Council of Advancement of Nursing Science

• 2005 - present, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association

• 2000 - present, American Heart Association, National Abstract Reviewer for Annual Scientific Sessions

• 2002 - present, American Heart Association, National Member, The Atherosclerosis Peripheral Vascular Disease - Steering Committee

• 2004 - present, American Heart Association, Local Member, Program Planning Committee Northern California

• 2004 - present, American Heart Association, National Abstract Reviewer for International Conference on CVD and Women

• 2005, Western Institute of Nursing Research Abstract Reviewer for Annual Scientific Conference

• 2005 - 2006, American Heart Association, National Member, the Atherosclerosis Peripheral Vascular Disease - Steering Committee, Communications subcommittee

• 2005 - present, Society of Vascular Nursing Membership committee

• 2006 - present, Journal of Vascular Nursing Editorial board

• 2006 - present, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Member Association, Inc.

Honors And Awards

• 1999 - Fellow, Society of Vascular Medicine and Biology

• 1999 - Frances A. Matsuda Visiting Scholar, University of Hawaii, Manoa Campus
• 2006 - Article of the Year, Journal of Vascular Nursing

Education

Case Western Reserve University, BSN, Nursing
Univ. of Calif. Los Angeles (UCLA), MSN, Nursing, Cardiovascular
Univ. of Calif. San Francisco (UCSF), DNSc, Nursing, Cardiovascular
Stanford University School of Medicine, Post-doctoral Research Fellow,
      Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention

Selected Publications

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1. Stühlinger MC, Oka RK, Kapoor O, Graf EE, Schmölzer I, Upson BM, Malinow R, Szuba A, Wascher TC, Pachinger O, & Cooke JP.  Differential effects of experimental hyperhomocyst(e)inemia on elevations of plasma ADMA and endothelial dysfunction. Circulation. 2003; 108(8): 933-8.
2. Oka RK, Szuba A, Giacomini JC, & Cooke JP.  Gender differences in perception of PAD: a pilot study. Vascular Medicine. 2003; 8: 89-94.
3. Lissin L, Oka RK, Lakshmi S, & Cooke JP.  Isoflavones improves vascular reactivity in post-menopausal women with hypercholesterolemia. Vascular Medicine. 2004 Feb; 9(1): 26-30.
4. Oka RK, Szuba A, Giacomini JC, & Cooke JP.  Predictors of physical function in patients with PAD and claudication. Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing. 2004; 19(3): 89-94.
5. Conde FA, Sarna L, Oka RK, Vredevoe DL, Rettig MB, & Aronson WJ.  Age, body mass index and serum PSA correlate with bone loss in men with prostate cancer who have not received androgen deprivation therapy. Urology 2004; 64(2): 335-40.
6. Oka RK, Altman M, Szuba A, Giacomini JC, & Cooke JP.  Exercise patterns and cardiovascular fitness of patients with PAD. Journal of Vascular Nursing. 2004; 22(4): 109-14.
7. Oka, RK, Giacomini JC, Umoh E, Szuba A, & Cooke, JP.  Suboptimal intensity of risk factor modification in patients with PAD. Vasc Med. 2005 May;10(2): 91-6.
8. Oka RK, DeMarco T, & Haskell WL.  Effect of acute and chronic exercise on self-efficacy in heart failure patients. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 2005 May 19; 4(3): 215-219.
9. Oka RK & Sanders MG.  The impact of type 2 diabetes and peripheral arterial disease on health-related quality of life. J Vasc Nurs. 2005 Jun;23(2):61-6; quiz 67-8
10. Nandini N, Oka RK, Waring LD, Umoh EM, & Cooke JP.  Vascular compliance versus flow-mediated vasodilation: correlation with cardiovascular risk factors. Vasc Med. 2005 Nov;10(4):275-83.
11. Oka RK & Sanders MG.  The impact of exercise on body composition and nutritional intake in patients with heart failure. Prog Cardiovasc Nurs. 2005 Fall;20(4):148-54.
12. Oka RK, Altman M, Giacomini JC, Szuba A, & Cooke JP.  Abnormal cardiovascular responses to exercise in patients with PAD: Implications for management. J Vasc Nurs. 2005 Dec;23(4):130-6; quiz 137-8.
13. Oka RK, Katapodi M, Watson J, & Froelicher ES.  Quantifying smoking cessation: Methodological implications from the WINS study. Nurs Res. 2006 July/August;55(4):292-297. PMID: 16849982
14. Oka RK, Szuba S, Giacomini JC, & Cooke JP.  A Pilot Study of L-arginine supplementation on functional capacity in peripheral arterial disease. Vasc Med. 2005 Nov;10(4):265-74

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