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Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD

(5 Ratings)

Specializes in: Adult Critical Care

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Professional interests include: emphysema, hypertension (high blood pressure), lung issues, and more.

5800 Hollis Street
Emeryville, CA 94608

(510) 806-2100

Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD is a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA specializing in adult critical care. He graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD is affiliated with Sutter Health.

Office Locations

106 La Casa Viaduct Suite 260
Walnut Creek, CA 94598

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Sutter Health

350 30th Street Suite 320
Oakland, CA 94609

(510) 465-6700

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5800 Hollis Street
Emeryville, CA 94608

(510) 806-2100

(510) 806-2548

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Some issues Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD can help you with:

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the tissue and airways of the lungs become extremely sensitive to certain substances. When these substances are breathed in, the lungs become inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten and squeeze the lungs, and passages within the lungs swell and tighten. The airways themselves produce mucus, which further clogs the tightened, swollen airways. A person having an asthma attack finds it very difficult to breathe, and a severe attack can even be fatal.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but people with asthma are most often diagnosed as children. Symptoms can include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and coughing. Some people have mild symptoms all the time, and some people have no symptoms at all, but everyone with asthma is susceptible to occasional severe attacks or flare-ups of symptoms when they are exposed to triggers. Triggers vary widely but can include:

Allergens (dust mites, pet fur, mold, pollen, grass)
Irritants (smoke, pollution, dust, chemicals)
Viral infections
Physical activity, especially outdoors
Certain medications or chemicals in foods (aspirin, sulfites)

Treatment for most asthma patients involves three steps. Patients learn what their asthma triggers are and avoid them. They take a daily control medication, usually an inhaled corticosteroid, to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Also, they have rescue medication with them at all times to take in case of a severe attack. These quick-acting inhaled medications relax the muscles around the airways and allow the lungs to open up for air.

There is no cure for asthma, but with treatment it should not interfere with daily life and activities.

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.

Lung Issues

Every cell in the body requires oxygen to function and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. In order to keep the body's tissues constantly supplied with fresh oxygen and to keep waste from building up, the lungs pump air in and out, even while sleeping or unaware. Unfortunately, diseases and disorders affecting the lungs are some of the most common medical problems afflicting people around the world. Some of the most common lung problems include asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and lung cancer.

Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.

Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.

Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.

In The News

“Our appreciation to Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and to Dean Nickles MD for his care and support of both Jeanne and Gordon.”—"Jeanne Flynn", East Bay Times, December 2006

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2012 were preventive care, vaccines, nursing home care and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

ambulatory monitoring	12
cardiac procedures	25
doctor visit	1551
hospital care	20
inpatient care	20
lab tests	21
musculoskeletal imaging	33
nursing home care	64
preventive care	212
pulmonary testing	13
ultrasound (sonogram)	13
vaccines	201
X-rays	33

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2013 were preventive care, vaccines, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1478
lab tests	15
musculoskeletal imaging	20
preventive care	190
vaccines	178
X-rays	20

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	233
Female	211

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	344
Black	40
Hispanic	0
Asian	37
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	203
From 75 to 84	137
85 and over	92
Less than 65	12

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2013

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	11
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	4
Diabetes	19
Dementia	9
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2014 were preventive care, vaccines, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	923
musculoskeletal imaging	26
preventive care	126
vaccines	115
X-rays	26

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	217
Female	187

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	312
Black	31
Hispanic	13
Asian	35
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	184
From 75 to 84	122
85 and over	87
Less than 65	11

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2014

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	43
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	12
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	19
Dementia	7
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2015 were preventive care, vaccines, lab tests and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	589
lab tests	28
musculoskeletal imaging	12
preventive care	304
vaccines	304
X-rays	12

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	442
Female	342

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	586
Black	76
Hispanic	24
Asian	66
Other	32
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	332
From 75 to 84	256
85 and over	168
Less than 65	28

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2015

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	40
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	5
Diabetes	18
Dementia	7
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2016 were preventive care, vaccines and lab tests.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	616
lab tests	18
preventive care	209
vaccines	209

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	225
Female	149

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	289
Black	29
Hispanic	14
Asian	29
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	140
From 75 to 84	126
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2016

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	5
Diabetes	17
Dementia	10
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2017 were preventive care and vaccines.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	811
preventive care	221
vaccines	221

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	265
Female	169

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	339
Black	31
Hispanic	0
Asian	33
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	179
From 75 to 84	143
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2017

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	12
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	18
Dementia	10
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2018 were preventive care and vaccines.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	895
preventive care	267
vaccines	255

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	291
Female	187

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	363
Black	37
Hispanic	13
Asian	34
Other	31
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	208
From 75 to 84	164
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2018

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	5
Diabetes	18
Dementia	10
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2019 were preventive care and vaccines.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	732
preventive care	39
vaccines	39

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	284
Female	169

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	335
Black	38
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	36
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	184
From 75 to 84	178
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2019

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	56
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	17
Dementia	10
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	806

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	308
Female	191

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	366
Black	48
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	40
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	209
From 75 to 84	188
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2020

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	17
Dementia	8
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA during 2021 were preventive care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1007
preventive care	11

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	314
Female	196

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	375
Black	41
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	45
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	209
From 75 to 84	203
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2021

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	12
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	4
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	17
Dementia	8
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1090

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	322
Female	196

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	387
Black	43
Hispanic	11
Asian	34
Other	43
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	204
From 75 to 84	206
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD in 2022

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	72
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	21
Depression	11
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	17
Dementia	6
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD treated as a critical care physician in Walnut Creek, CA were vaccines, preventive care, nursing home care and cardiac procedures.

ambulatory monitoring	12
cardiac procedures	25
doctor visit	954
hospital care	20
inpatient care	20
lab tests	20
musculoskeletal imaging	22
nursing home care	64
preventive care	175
pulmonary testing	13
ultrasound (sonogram)	13
vaccines	190
X-rays	22

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD.

**Gender**
Male	263
Female	181

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	37
Asian / Pacific Islander	24
Non-Hispanic White	336
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	6
Other	23

**Age**
75 to 84	156
85 and over	31
Less than 65	4
65 to 74	186

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD From 2012 - 2022

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

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	22
Depression	11
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	5
Osteoporosis	6
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	5
Diabetes	16
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Dementia	7
Cancer	11

Education & Training

Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He completed residency at Tripler Army Medical Center. He is certified by the Internal Medicine - Board Certified and has a state license in California.

Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine

Residency: Tripler Army Medical Center

Board Certification: Internal Medicine - Board Certified

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Sutter Health

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD has a high overall rating with an average of 3.6 out of 5 stars based on 5 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Walnut Creek, CA.

3.6

Overall Rating

(5 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Dean John Nickles, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Boston Scientific Corporation	$17 WATCHMAN $17

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$17

Biography

Dr. Dean Nickles' specialty is adult critical care. Areas of expertise for Dr. Nickles include cancer screening, metabolic bone diseases, and atherosclerosis. He is professionally affiliated with Sutter Health. Before performing his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center, Dr. Nickles attended West Virginia University School of Medicine. On average, patients gave him a rating of 3.5 stars (out of 5).