Dr. Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC

Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC, is a cardiologist and cardiovascular trial director based at Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, recognised internationally for work in preventive cardiology, lipids and cardiovascular clinical trials. Dr. Steven Nissen holds the post of Chief Academic Officer of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute and Lewis and Patricia Dickey Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine.

Dr. Steven Nissen chaired the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic from 2006 until 2019, when he moved to the Chief Academic Officer role to direct academic and research activity. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Scientist Award.

A cardiologist is a physician, not a surgeon: the work is diagnosis, medical treatment and catheter based procedures rather than open operations. Qualification takes a medical degree, general medical training and several years of cardiology specialisation. The particular area of practice for Dr. Steven Nissen is preventive cardiology, lipids and cardiovascular clinical trials.

Dr. Steven Nissen Specialty And Hospital Summary

Full Name And Credentials: Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC
Profession: Cardiologist and cardiovascular trial director
Field Of Focus: Preventive cardiology, lipids and cardiovascular clinical trials
Current Position: Chief Academic Officer of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute and Lewis and Patricia Dickey Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine
Institution: Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
Previous Appointments: Chaired the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic from 2006 until 2019, when he moved to the Chief Academic Officer role to direct academic and research activity

Where Dr. Steven Nissen Studied

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

Medical Degree: MD, University of Michigan Medical School, 1978
Fellowship: Cardiovascular disease, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1981 to 1983
Professional Standing: Master of the American College of Cardiology

Dr. Steven Nissen Subspecialty Expertise

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Steven Nissen as centred on:

Lipid lowering therapy and residual cardiovascular risk
Lipoprotein(a) and emerging lipid targets
Intravascular ultrasound and coronary atheroma imaging
Cardiovascular drug safety
Design and conduct of outcome trials

Academic And Clinical Leadership Of Dr. Steven Nissen

Chief Academic Officer, Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic
Lewis and Patricia Dickey Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine and Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Director of the Joseph J. Jacobs Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
Principal Investigator, Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic
Past President of the American College of Cardiology
Provides physician leadership for C5Research, the academic research organisation within the institute
Member of a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute working group on clinical trial design
Consults for pharmaceutical companies without accepting personal compensation, a disclosure policy he has maintained publicly

Notable Achievements Of Dr. Steven Nissen

Master of the American College of Cardiology
Outstanding Scientist Award, Cleveland Clinic, 2004
Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cardiovascular Research, Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky, 2004
Three-time recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Cleveland Clinic cardiovascular medicine fellows
An early developer of intravascular ultrasound for measuring coronary atherosclerosis progression
Widely known for clinical trials and drug safety analyses that have changed cardiovascular prescribing

Dr. Steven Nissen Appointments By Location

Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, Ohio. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

Understanding Lipid Therapy And Cardiovascular Trials

Cholesterol does not cause heart disease on its own. Low density lipoprotein, the particle that carries it, lodges in artery walls and sets off the slow inflammatory process called atherosclerosis. That is why treatment aims at the particles rather than at cholesterol in food, and why two people with the same reading can face very different risk depending on blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and family history. Trials in this field test whether lowering these particles by any mechanism reduces heart attacks, and they have repeatedly shown that it does.

Related Lipid Therapy And Cardiovascular Trials Profiles

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

Dr. Thomas Luscher, vascular biology and coronary disease at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, King’s College London and the University of Zurich
Dr. Paul Ridker, inflammation and cardiovascular biomarkers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dr. Salim Virani, complex dyslipidaemia at Aga Khan University, with adjunct appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute
Dr. Stephen Nicholls, atherosclerosis imaging and lipid therapy at Monash University and Monash Health

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

Appointment And Access Guidance For Dr. Steven Nissen

Dr. Steven Nissen sees adult patients in preventive cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic main campus. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Questions Patients Ask About Dr. Steven Nissen

What does Dr. Steven Nissen specialise in?

Dr. Steven Nissen is a cardiologist and cardiovascular trial director whose work centres on preventive cardiology, lipids and cardiovascular clinical trials. Particular areas of focus include lipid lowering therapy and residual cardiovascular risk; and lipoprotein(a) and emerging lipid targets.

Where is Dr. Steven Nissen based?

Dr. Steven Nissen works at Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Does Dr. Steven Nissen see patients?

Yes. Dr. Steven Nissen sees adult patients in preventive cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic main campus. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Steven Nissen study?

MD, University of Michigan Medical School, 1978. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Steven Nissen?

Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC. Master of the American College of Cardiology.

What position does Dr. Steven Nissen hold?

Dr. Steven Nissen is Chief Academic Officer of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute and Lewis and Patricia Dickey Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine, based at Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

Verified Sources For Dr. Steven Nissen

Editorial Standards For This Dr. Steven Nissen Listing

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Update note: Chaired the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic from 2006 until 2019, when he moved to the Chief Academic Officer role to direct academic and research activity.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

How To Use The Information About Dr. Steven Nissen

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.

Dr. Steven Nissen