Natasha Fonseka, MD

Dr. Natasha Fonseka believes deeply in the power of preventive care to help improve her patients’ health outcomes. She focuses her practice on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Fonseka evaluates symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue and leg swelling to diagnose and treat high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), heart valve issues, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure. She has a special interest in cardiovascular nutrition, health education and women’s health.

While studying at Temple University School of Medicine during the Great Recession, Dr. Fonseka co-founded a free clinic in Bethlehem to serve uninsured patients; it is still run by medical students with supervising physicians. After earning her degree, Dr. Fonseka completed a residency in internal medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She went on to fulfill a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Temple University Hospital, serving as Chief Fellow in her last year there. She is board certified in cardiology, internal medicine, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology.

Dr. Fonseka encourages all to go for an annual physical and blood work, at minimum. When people come to her, either for preventive care or for a specific medical complaint, she treats each one as an individual, asking about their lifestyle and priorities and guiding them in developing a research-driven personalized treatment plan when needed. 

Harnessing the power of knowledge and preparation, Dr. Fonseka educates her patients about what signs to watch for even if they consider themselves to be healthy. If she suspects or diagnoses disease, she works hard to help them understand what to expect during treatment.

Growing up, Dr. Fonseka saw family and others in her community with heart disease, many of whom needed a stent at a young age. As a young woman of color, she also saw how symptoms of heart disease and other health issues in her community were often dismissed or blamed on nonmedical causes. Her experiences shaped her love for medicine and an interest in how to improve the approach to care. She knew early on that she wanted to be a patient advocate, with a focus on the emotional component of what people experience when diagnosed with a heart problem.

“These are life-changing moments,” she says. “To be able to prepare someone and influence the course of their life for the better is a big win.”

Outside of work, Dr. Fonseka is a self-described “dog mom” who loves her Peloton. She is fluent in English and Sinhala.