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Dr. David Alan Appel, MD

Accepting New Patients

(318 Ratings)

Specializes in: Interventional Cardiology and Adult Cardiology

Loma Linda University School of Medicine (2004)

Professional interests include: Holter monitoring, left-sided heart failure, chronic total occlusion (CTO), and more.

62 West 7th Avenue Suite 450
Spokane, WA 99204

(509) 455-8820

Dr. David Alan Appel, MD is an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA specializing in interventional cardiology and adult cardiology. He graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 2004 and has 21 years of experience. Dr. David Alan Appel, MD is affiliated with Providence, Providence Holy Family Hospital, PROVIDENCE HEALTH AND SERVICES WASHINGTON and Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital.

Office Locations

62 West 7th Avenue Suite 450
Spokane, WA 99204

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Some issues Dr. David Alan Appel, MD can help you with:

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure done to check on the health of the heart. A tiny, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel through a very small opening, usually in the groin, and threaded through the blood vessel up to the heart. Once the catheter is in place, it can diagnose problems in the heart and perform certain corrective procedures.

A coronary catheter can be used to:

Take blood samples
Inject dye for an angiogram
Check for valve defects
Measure oxygen and pressure levels within the heart chambers
Take a biopsy
Perform a percutaneous coronary intervention, or procedure to clear blocked arteries
Widen narrowed valve openings

Because all of this can be accomplished without the need for open surgery, cardiac catheterization has become a popular option.

Heart Attack

A heart attack is a serious medical event that happens when the blood supplying oxygen to the heart is cut off, usually because of a blockage in an artery. This results in damage or death of part of the heart muscle. The heart can heal, but like any part of the body that was injured it leaves a scar. This scar tissue does not contract effectively, so the ability of the heart to pump is lowered after a heart attack.

A heart attack, sometimes called a myocardial infarction, can happen without warning. However there are certain factors that raise the risk of heart attack. Some of these are:

Age
Gender (most heart attack sufferers are male)
A family history of heart attacks
Smoking
Obesity
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Unhealthy lifestyle choices (lack of exercise, poor diet, too much alcohol or stress)

Heart attacks typically feel like pain or pressure in the chest that can radiate out to the back, arm, or jaw. Some other symptoms can include fatigue or weakness, shortness of breath, sweating, and nausea.

Treatment aims to increase blood flow to the heart muscle by opening up blocked blood vessels. Medications are sometimes used to dissolve clots in the arteries. Aspirin and other medications such as Plavix can thin the blood and make clots less likely to form. Dilators can widen blood vessels to make room for more blood to flow. Doctors can also use a procedure called catheterization to look at the blood vessels around the heart directly, place stents, or widen vessels using angioplasty. In extreme cases bypass surgery can be used to help blood flow better. After recovery, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle and take any prescribed medications in order to protect the heart.

Heart Problems

The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. This smooth muscle expands and contracts rhythmically an entire lifetime, pumping blood to the lungs and then to every other cell in the body. When heart problems occur, it becomes difficult for the body to get the nutrients and oxygen it needs via the blood. So while there are a variety of illnesses and disorders that affect the heart, most of them cause weakness, exhaustion and shortness of breath. The most common heart conditions include heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, and valve disorders.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. This includes coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Some conditions, such as genetics, cannot be controlled. But there are many other things one can do to lower their risk for heart disease. Controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing or stopping smoking, exercising more and losing weight if needed, and eating a diet low in sodium can all protect the heart.

Angina is a squeezing type of chest pain that happens when the muscles around the heart don't get enough oxygen. It can be regular or infrequent. Usually, angina is caused by coronary heart disease. However, not all chest pain is angina. Chest pain can also be caused by a lung infection or panic attack, for example, so it is important to have any sudden pain checked.

Arrhythmia is the word for when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly with skipped beats. It can feel frightening, and depending on the type it can be dangerous, but in most cases arrhythmia is not serious and can be treated. It is very common, especially in older adults.

Heart valve problems can happen in any one of the the heart's four valves that keep blood flowing where it needs to go. Babies can be born with problems in their heart valves, or valves can be damaged by infections. The valves can stiffen and become less mobile, or they can stop closing properly and 'leak' when the heart beats. Valve problems can usually be repaired surgically.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 10%

By Affordability:

echocardiogram

In 2023, Dr. David Alan Appel, MD had a list price for echocardiogram (echo) that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 90% of providers in related specialties within Washington. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Top 25%

By Volume:

inpatient hospital care

minimally invasive procedures

By Affordability:

aortic valve replacement

color Doppler echocardiography

Doppler echocardiography

fully percutaneous transfemoral TAVR

heart valve replacement

minimally invasive aortic valve replacement

minimally invasive heart valve treatment

minimally invasive valve replacement

non-surgical aortic valve replacement

non-surgical heart valve treatment

non-surgical valve replacement

percutaneous valve treatment

spectral Doppler echocardiography

transcatheter aortic valve replacement

transcatheter valve treatment

transfemoral TAVR

transthoracic echocardiography

In 2013, among providers in related specialties within Washington, Dr. David Alan Appel, MD performed more inpatient hospital care (for patient admitted to hospital), and minimally invasive procedures procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of them and he also had a list price for aortic valve replacement, color Doppler echocardiography, Doppler echocardiography, fully percutaneous (incisionless) transfemoral TAVR, heart valve replacement, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, minimally invasive heart valve treatment, minimally invasive valve replacement, non-surgical aortic valve replacement, non-surgical heart valve treatment, non-surgical valve replacement, percutaneous valve treatment, spectral Doppler echocardiography, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter valve treatment, transfemoral TAVR (through the groin), and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 75% of them. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2018 were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	34
cardiac procedures	215
catheterization	76
diagnostic procedures	25
doctor visit	91
hospital care	52
inpatient care	52
minimally invasive procedures	76
stent placement (stenting)	17
ultrasound (sonogram)	139
vascular procedures	25

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	170
Female	157

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	314
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	132
From 75 to 84	134
85 and over	32
Less than 65	29

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2018

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2018 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and diabetes.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	37
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	36
Heart Failure	37
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	38
Dementia	12
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2019 were cardiac procedures, minimally invasive procedures, ultrasound (sonogram) and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

ambulatory monitoring	17
angioplasty	130
cardiac procedures	722
cardioversion	20
catheterization	337
diagnostic procedures	142
doctor visit	256
hospital care	230
inpatient care	230
minimally invasive procedures	383
stent placement (stenting)	65
ultrasound (sonogram)	368
vascular procedures	142

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	848
Female	715

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1459
Black	0
Hispanic	28
Asian	0
Other	24
Native American	40

**Age**
From 65 to 74	602
From 75 to 84	607
85 and over	195
Less than 65	159

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2019

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2019 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	65
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	35
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	40
Dementia	13
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2020 were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	82
cardiac procedures	520
catheterization	239
diagnostic procedures	99
doctor visit	236
emergency care	17
hospital care	228
inpatient care	228
minimally invasive procedures	239
stent placement (stenting)	41
ultrasound (sonogram)	270
vascular procedures	110

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	1094
Female	880

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1857
Black	0
Hispanic	41
Asian	0
Other	31
Native American	27

**Age**
From 65 to 74	787
From 75 to 84	718
85 and over	274
Less than 65	195

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2020

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2020 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	62
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	33
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	41
Dementia	16
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2021 were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	62
cardiac procedures	520
catheterization	163
diagnostic procedures	70
doctor visit	310
hospital care	118
inpatient care	118
minimally invasive procedures	200
stent placement (stenting)	31
ultrasound (sonogram)	261
vascular procedures	129

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	1272
Female	1105

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	2192
Black	19
Hispanic	48
Asian	23
Other	52
Native American	43

**Age**
From 65 to 74	971
From 75 to 84	841
85 and over	322
Less than 65	243

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2021

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2021 were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	58
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	52
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	36
Dementia	15
Cancer	17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2022 were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	58
cardiac procedures	449
catheterization	164
diagnostic procedures	77
doctor visit	320
hospital care	105
inpatient care	105
minimally invasive procedures	193
stent placement (stenting)	29
ultrasound (sonogram)	202
vascular procedures	131

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	1348
Female	1103

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	2259
Black	22
Hispanic	51
Asian	20
Other	53
Native American	46

**Age**
From 65 to 74	985
From 75 to 84	914
85 and over	348
Less than 65	204

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2022

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2022 were high cholesterol, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrilation.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	15
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	41
Heart Failure	41
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	36
Dementia	12
Cancer	22

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA during 2023 were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and hospital care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	56
cardiac procedures	469
catheterization	137
diagnostic procedures	53
doctor visit	293
hospital care	173
inpatient care	173
minimally invasive procedures	186
stent placement (stenting)	28
ultrasound (sonogram)	212
vascular procedures	124

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	1054
Female	909

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1810
Black	14
Hispanic	40
Asian	18
Other	52
Native American	29

**Age**
From 65 to 74	742
From 75 to 84	777
85 and over	294
Less than 65	150

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD in 2023

The most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated during 2023 were high cholesterol, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart failure.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	40
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	36
Dementia	11
Cancer	22

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2018 - 2023

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated as an interventional cardiologist in Spokane, WA were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

ambulatory monitoring	17
angioplasty	70
cardiac procedures	482
cardioversion	20
catheterization	186
diagnostic procedures	77
doctor visit	251
emergency care	17
hospital care	151
inpatient care	151
minimally invasive procedures	212
stent placement (stenting)	35
ultrasound (sonogram)	242
vascular procedures	110

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2018 - 2023

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD.

**Gender**
Male	964
Female	811

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	9
Asian / Pacific Islander	10
Non-Hispanic White	1648
Native American / Alaskan Native	30
Hispanic	34
Other	35

**Age**
75 to 84	665
85 and over	244
Less than 65	163
65 to 74	703

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Alan Appel, MD From 2018 - 2023

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Alan Appel, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	10
Osteoporosis	11
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	37
Atrial Fibrillation	36
Cancer	17
Dementia	13

Education & Training

Dr. David Alan Appel, MD graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 2004. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and has a state license in Illinois.

Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine (2004)

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease

Licensed In: Illinois

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. David Alan Appel, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Providence

Providence Holy Family Hospital

PROVIDENCE HEALTH AND SERVICES WASHINGTON

Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. David Alan Appel, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Humana PPO, Aetna PPO, CIGNA PPO, Wellcare Medicare (HMO), Medicare Advantage, Interplan PPO, TriWest, United Healthcare, TRICARE, Medicaid, Regence Blue Shield, Humana, Cigna, United Healthcare Medicaid, OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), Providence, Humana HMO, First Health, WellPoint, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, Aetna Medicare PPO, Asuris Northwest Health PPO, Naphcare, Pacific Source Health PPO, Stevens County SheriffS Office, State of Washington Department of Corrections, Premera, Ferry County Jail, Evernorth PPO, Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service PPO, First Choice PPO, Regence BlueShield of Washington PPO and Interwest Health PPO.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. David Alan Appel, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Humana PPO

Aetna PPO

CIGNA PPO

Wellcare Medicare (HMO)

Medicare Advantage

Interplan PPO

TriWest

United Healthcare

TRICARE

Medicaid

Regence Blue Shield

Humana

Cigna

United Healthcare Medicaid

OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health)

Providence

Humana HMO

First Health

WellPoint

Kaiser Permanente

Molina Healthcare

Aetna Medicare PPO

Asuris Northwest Health PPO

Naphcare

Pacific Source Health PPO

Stevens County SheriffS Office

State of Washington Department of Corrections

Premera

Ferry County Jail

Evernorth PPO

Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service PPO

First Choice PPO

Regence BlueShield of Washington PPO

Interwest Health PPO

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. David Alan Appel, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.98 out of 5 stars based on 318 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. David Alan Appel, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Spokane, WA.

4.98

Overall Rating

(318 Ratings)

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Reviews From Around The Web

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-11-07