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Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO

Accepting New Patients

(429 Ratings)

Specializes in: Interventional Cardiology and Adult Cardiology

University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (1986)

Professional interests include: restrictive cardiomyopathy , atherectomy, fractional flow reserve (FFR), and more.

110 IRVING STREET NW
Washington, DC 20010

1-855-970-2196

Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO is an interventional cardiologist in Washington, DC specializing in interventional cardiology and adult cardiology. He graduated from University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in 1986 and has 39 years of experience. Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO is affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Health and MEDSTAR HEART INSTITUTE LLC.

Office Locations

Address:

110 IRVING STREET NW
Washington, DC 20010

Some issues Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO can help you with:

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:

Angina, which is chest pain that occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood flow.
Heart attack, which happens if the arteries leading to the heart are completely blocked.
Arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which can develop if the heart does not have enough blood supply.
Heart failure, which may occur if a heart attack damages the heart and it becomes too weak to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

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:

Electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity over a period of time. ECGs can detect whether there is enough blood flow to the heart or if a heart attack has occurred.
Echocardiogram (echo), which creates images of the heart using sound waves. Echos can show whether the heart is able to pump blood normally.
Stress tests, where an ECG or echo is combined with exercise, like riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill. This test is done to find out if the heart can function properly while performing a strenuous activity.

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.

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.

angioplasty	84
cardiac procedures	77
catheterization	78
diagnostic procedures	40
doctor visit	50
minimally invasive procedures	316
stent placement (stenting)	93
thrombectomy (blood clot removal)	27
vascular procedures	404

**Gender**
Male	135
Female	132

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	138
Black	114
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	115
From 75 to 84	87
85 and over	37
Less than 65	28

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	55
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	55
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	31
Diabetes	62
Dementia	10
Cancer	13

angioplasty	52
cardiac procedures	32
catheterization	33
diagnostic procedures	40
doctor visit	126
minimally invasive procedures	278
stent placement (stenting)	59
thrombectomy (blood clot removal)	16
vascular procedures	385

**Gender**
Male	164
Female	120

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	151
Black	116
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	112
From 75 to 84	103
85 and over	36
Less than 65	33

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	17
Chronic Kidney Disease	52
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	4
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	54
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	57
Dementia	9
Cancer	11

angioplasty	76
cardiac procedures	60
catheterization	61
diagnostic procedures	32
doctor visit	254
minimally invasive procedures	195
stent placement (stenting)	30
vascular procedures	227

**Gender**
Male	344
Female	250

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	290
Black	268
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	226
From 75 to 84	212
85 and over	88
Less than 65	68

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	61
Dementia	11
Cancer	13

angioplasty	56
cardiac procedures	91
catheterization	28
diagnostic procedures	9
doctor visit	108
emergency care	11
minimally invasive procedures	203
stent placement (stenting)	21
thrombectomy (blood clot removal)	13
vascular procedures	303

**Gender**
Male	188
Female	142

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	192
Black	122
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	130
From 75 to 84	113
85 and over	45
Less than 65	42

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	58
Asthma	28
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	18
Heart Failure	57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	57
Dementia	15
Cancer	13

angioplasty	96
cardiac procedures	128
catheterization	78
doctor visit	6
minimally invasive procedures	207
stent placement (stenting)	55
vascular procedures	241

**Gender**
Male	153
Female	108

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	143
Black	96
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	100
From 75 to 84	92
85 and over	38
Less than 65	31

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	59
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	27
Diabetes	58
Dementia	12
Cancer	16

angioplasty	121
cardiac procedures	190
catheterization	121
minimally invasive procedures	248
stent placement (stenting)	108
vascular procedures	248

**Gender**
Male	146
Female	100

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	152
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	105
From 75 to 84	82
85 and over	40
Less than 65	19

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	63
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	25
Heart Failure	54
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	29
Diabetes	59
Dementia	17
Cancer	16

angioplasty	96
cardiac procedures	156
catheterization	97
doctor visit	23
minimally invasive procedures	200
stent placement (stenting)	61
vascular procedures	241

**Gender**
Male	148
Female	92

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	142
Black	82
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	90
From 75 to 84	90
85 and over	36
Less than 65	24

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	66
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	57
Dementia	17
Cancer	17

angioplasty	88
cardiac procedures	141
catheterization	103
diagnostic procedures	9
doctor visit	211
minimally invasive procedures	231
stent placement (stenting)	94
vascular procedures	256

**Gender**
Male	178
Female	136

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	156
Black	126
Hispanic	13
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	128
From 75 to 84	113
85 and over	52
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	15
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	64
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	54
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	58
Dementia	17
Cancer	15

angioplasty	311
cardiac procedures	527
catheterization	410
diagnostic procedures	34
doctor visit	535
implant surgery	11
minimally invasive procedures	728
stent placement (stenting)	335
vascular procedures	620

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO treated as an interventional cardiologist in Washington, DC were minimally invasive procedures, vascular procedures, cardiac procedures and catheterization.

angioplasty	111
cardiac procedures	160
catheterization	116
diagnostic procedures	28
doctor visit	166
emergency care	11
implant surgery	11
minimally invasive procedures	296
stent placement (stenting)	98
thrombectomy (blood clot removal)	18
vascular procedures	271

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO.

**Gender**
Female	98
Male	132

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	84
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	124
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	1
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	33
75 to 84	81
Less than 65	24
65 to 74	91

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO treated were high cholesterol, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	54
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	8
Osteoporosis	3
Heart Failure	39
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	42
Atrial Fibrillation	14
Cancer	10
Dementia	9

Education & Training

Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO graduated from University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in 1986. He completed residency at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Affiliated Hospitals. He has a state license in Virginia.

Medical School: University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (1986)

Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Affiliated Hospitals (1995)

Licensed In: Virginia

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

MedStar Health

MEDSTAR HEART INSTITUTE LLC

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. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO appears to accept the following insurance providers: CIGNA Choice Fund PPO, MAMSI, First Health PPO, Blue Choice, Golden Rule, Great-West Healthcare, TRICARE, Community Care Network (CCN), Coventry, TRICARE Reserve Select, Aetna Managed Choice POS, Aetna HMO, Kaiser Select, Kaiser Permanente, CIGNA EPO, Aetna Medicare PPO, CIGNA Indemnity, AmeriHealth, AARP, Medicare Advantage, Coventry National Network PPO, Amerigroup, United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, Virginia Premier Health Plan, WellPoint, Aetna, CIGNA Network Open Access, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), HealthyBlue PPO, MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice, CareFirst NASCO, CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO, Traditional Medicare Fee for Service, United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO), Innovation Health: Open POS Plus, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families, Carefirst EPO, Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus, United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program, CareFirst Administrators, United Select HMO - EPO/NPP, United Student Resources, United MD IPA Preferred (POS), United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO), Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP), Innovation Health: Network Only Plus, United MD IPA (HMO), United Choice Plus, CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans), Innovation Health: PPO, HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance, United Choice, United Optimum Choice, Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus), Innovation Health: POS, Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS), Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus, United Select Plus (POS), CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced, United Erickson Advantage Plans, Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice, Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN), Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS), D-SNP), I-SNP, CareFirst MedStar PPO, CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity, United Core Essential (HMO), Innovation Health: POS Plus, HumanaChoice PPO, United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP, Innovation Health: Open POS II, Innovation Health: Indemnity, United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose, Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, United Navigate, Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO, Police and Fire Clinic and CareFirst MedStar Select PPO.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO accepts the following insurance providers:

CIGNA Choice Fund PPO

MAMSI

First Health PPO

Blue Choice

Golden Rule

Great-West Healthcare

TRICARE

Community Care Network (CCN)

Coventry

TRICARE Reserve Select

Aetna Managed Choice POS

Aetna HMO

Kaiser Select

Kaiser Permanente

CIGNA EPO

Aetna Medicare PPO

CIGNA Indemnity

AmeriHealth

AARP

Medicare Advantage

Coventry National Network PPO

Amerigroup

United Healthcare

Medicaid

Humana

Cigna

Virginia Premier Health Plan

WellPoint

Aetna

CIGNA Network Open Access

Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)

HealthyBlue PPO

MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice

CareFirst NASCO

CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO

Traditional Medicare Fee for Service

United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)

Innovation Health: Open POS Plus

MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families

Carefirst EPO

Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus

United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program

CareFirst Administrators

United Select HMO - EPO/NPP

United Student Resources

United MD IPA Preferred (POS)

United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)

Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)

Innovation Health: Network Only Plus

United MD IPA (HMO)

United Choice Plus

CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)

Innovation Health: PPO

HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO

MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance

United Choice

United Optimum Choice

Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)

Innovation Health: POS

Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)

Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus

United Select Plus (POS)

CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced

United Erickson Advantage Plans

Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice

Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)

Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)

D-SNP)

I-SNP

CareFirst MedStar PPO

CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity

United Core Essential (HMO)

Innovation Health: POS Plus

HumanaChoice PPO

United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP

Innovation Health: Open POS II

Innovation Health: Indemnity

United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose

Veterans Affairs Community Care Network

United Navigate

Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO

Police and Fire Clinic

CareFirst MedStar Select PPO

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Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 429 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Nelson Lim Bernardo, MD, DO from all over the web to help you find the right in Washington, DC.

4.9

Overall Rating

(429 Ratings)

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Reviews From Around The Web

Overall Rating: 5.0 2023-11-11