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Home > WA Providers > Cardiac Surgeons

Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD

Accepting New Patients

(51 Ratings)

Specializes in: Cardiac Surgery

Stanford University School of Medicine (1988)

Professional interests include: coronary artery disease, lung cancer, heart problems

62 W 7TH AVENUE SUITE 110
Spokane, WA 99204

(509) 456-0262

Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD is a cardiac surgeon in Spokane, WA specializing in cardiac surgery. He graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1988 and has 37 years of experience. Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD is affiliated with PROVIDENCE HEALTH AND SERVICES-WA.

Office Locations

Address:

62 W 7TH AVENUE SUITE 110
Spokane, WA 99204

Some issues Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD 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 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.

bypass surgery	31
cardiac procedures	100
dissection	15
doctor visit	64
excision	14
hospital care	23
inpatient care	23
lobectomy	21
lymph node procedures	15
minimally invasive procedures	35
open surgery	62
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	109

**Gender**
Male	79
Female	59

**Age**
From 65 to 74	59
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	69
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	48
Diabetes	35
Dementia	0
Cancer	44

bypass surgery	16
cardiac procedures	76
doctor visit	73
lobectomy	16
minimally invasive procedures	14
open surgery	32
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	56

**Gender**
Male	71
Female	46

**Age**
From 65 to 74	53
From 75 to 84	40
85 and over	11
Less than 65	13

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	32
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	35
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	44
Diabetes	29
Dementia	0
Cancer	49

bypass surgery	12
cardiac procedures	54
dissection	21
doctor visit	80
excision	20
hospital care	12
inpatient care	12
lobectomy	24
lymph node procedures	21
minimally invasive procedures	44
open surgery	24
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	67

**Gender**
Male	134
Female	126

**Age**
From 65 to 74	122
From 75 to 84	100
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	72
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	62
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	37
Asthma	29
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	28
Heart Failure	36
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	42
Diabetes	38
Dementia	11
Cancer	52

bypass surgery	17
cardiac procedures	86
dissection	30
doctor visit	100
excision	29
hospital care	16
inpatient care	16
lobectomy	41
lymph node procedures	30
minimally invasive procedures	70
open surgery	34
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	103

**Gender**
Male	100
Female	68

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	63
85 and over	14
Less than 65	15

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	40
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	46
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	43
Diabetes	42
Dementia	9
Cancer	46

**Gender**
Male	87
Female	73

**Age**
From 65 to 74	74
From 75 to 84	55
85 and over	15
Less than 65	16

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	39
Diabetes	39
Dementia	8
Cancer	43

bypass surgery	18
cardiac procedures	64
dissection	24
doctor visit	120
excision	23
hospital care	19
inpatient care	19
lobectomy	29
lymph node procedures	24
minimally invasive procedures	52
open surgery	36
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	87

**Gender**
Male	98
Female	82

**Age**
From 65 to 74	97
From 75 to 84	51
85 and over	11
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	43
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	47
Diabetes	41
Dementia	10
Cancer	50

bypass surgery	15
cardiac procedures	50
dissection	21
doctor visit	50
excision	31
hospital care	54
inpatient care	54
lobectomy	22
lymph node procedures	21
minimally invasive procedures	53
open surgery	30
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	82

**Gender**
Male	85
Female	72

**Age**
From 65 to 74	73
From 75 to 84	46
85 and over	17
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	63
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	43
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	35
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	41
Diabetes	32
Dementia	8
Cancer	43

bypass surgery	18
cardiac procedures	34
dissection	14
doctor visit	48
excision	13
hospital care	14
inpatient care	14
lobectomy	12
lymph node procedures	14
minimally invasive procedures	25
open surgery	36
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	60

**Gender**
Male	66
Female	45

**Age**
From 65 to 74	59
From 75 to 84	37
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	67
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	46
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	42
Diabetes	41
Dementia	14
Cancer	35

bypass surgery	41
cardiac procedures	80
dissection	28
doctor visit	91
excision	27
lobectomy	26
lymph node procedures	28
minimally invasive procedures	53
open surgery	82
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	134

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Spokane, WA were thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, cardiac procedures, minimally invasive procedures and open surgery.

bypass surgery	20
cardiac procedures	68
dissection	22
doctor visit	81
excision	23
hospital care	22
inpatient care	22
lobectomy	24
lymph node procedures	22
minimally invasive procedures	45
open surgery	41
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures	89

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD.

**Gender**
Female	57
Male	72

**Age**
85 and over	6
75 to 84	44
Less than 65	8
65 to 74	61

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and cancer.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	2
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	3
Heart Failure	33
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	29
Atrial Fibrillation	22
Dementia	6
Cancer	36

Education & Training

Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1988. He completed residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has a state license in Idaho.

Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine (1988)

Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital

Licensed In: Idaho

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

PROVIDENCE HEALTH AND SERVICES-WA

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.98 out of 5 stars based on 51 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Steven J. Nisco, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Spokane, WA.

4.98

Overall Rating

(51 Ratings)

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Reviews From Around The Web

Overall Rating: 5.0 2024-03-31