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Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD

Accepting New Patients

(John A. McPherson, MD)

(241 Ratings)

Specializes in: General Practice, Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Medicine (Blood Vessel Disease)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine (1993)

Professional interests include: peripheral vascular disease, angina, atrial fibrillation, and more.

1215 21st Avenue South 5th Floor
Nashville, TN 37232

(615) 322-5000

Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD is a general practitioner in Nashville, TN specializing in general practice, interventional cardiology and vascular medicine (blood vessel disease). He graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine in 1993 and has 33 years of experience. Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD is affiliated with Vanderbilt Health.

Office Locations

1215 21st Avenue South 5th Floor
Nashville, TN 37232

(615) 322-2318

open_in_new

Some issues Dr. John Addison McPherson, 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.

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.

In The News

“Still, the main message is that people should get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, "however they can get it," said Dr. John McPherson, a cardiologist and professor of...”—"For a good heart workout, it's OK to wait for the weekend, new research finds", NBC News, July 2023

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care, minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

cardiac procedures	100
catheterization	100
diagnostic procedures	90
doctor visit	234
hospital care	120
inpatient care	104
minimally invasive procedures	100
outpatient care	16
stent placement (stenting)	29
vascular procedures	46

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2013 were minimally invasive procedures, catheterization, cardiac procedures and diagnostic procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

angioplasty	36
cardiac procedures	138
catheterization	138
diagnostic procedures	121
doctor visit	197
hospital care	95
inpatient care	83
minimally invasive procedures	138
outpatient care	12
stent placement (stenting)	36
vascular procedures	42

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	172
Female	113

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	257
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	124
From 75 to 84	71
85 and over	26
Less than 65	64

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	42
Dementia	8
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2014 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	217
hospital care	149
inpatient care	149

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	130
Female	100

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	209
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	105
From 75 to 84	59
85 and over	19
Less than 65	47

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	41
Dementia	8
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2015 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	242
hospital care	115
inpatient care	115

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	238
Female	164

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	356
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	188
From 75 to 84	104
85 and over	32
Less than 65	78

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	74
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	44
Dementia	10
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2016 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	217
hospital care	20
inpatient care	20

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	104
Female	69

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

**Age**
From 65 to 74	83
From 75 to 84	54
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	17
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	41
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	38
Dementia	9
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2017 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	212
hospital care	49
inpatient care	49

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	102
Female	76

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	160
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	78
From 75 to 84	61
85 and over	14
Less than 65	25

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	52
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	40
Dementia	12
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2018 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	251
hospital care	93
inpatient care	93

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	115
Female	95

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	189
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	108
From 75 to 84	57
85 and over	21
Less than 65	24

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	43
Dementia	9
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2019 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	257
hospital care	84
inpatient care	84

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	120
Female	75

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	170
Black	14
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	91
From 75 to 84	65
85 and over	19
Less than 65	20

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	74
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	36
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	44
Dementia	10
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2020 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	193
hospital care	55
inpatient care	55

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	103
Female	63

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	149
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	84
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	13
Less than 65	13

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	47
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	34
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	41
Dementia	8
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2021 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	240
hospital care	63
inpatient care	63

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	110
Female	69

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	162
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	83
From 75 to 84	70
85 and over	13
Less than 65	13

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	75
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	46
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	35
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	40
Dementia	12
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN during 2022 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	250
hospital care	59
inpatient care	59

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Male	123
Female	76

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	181
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	87
From 75 to 84	77
85 and over	20
Less than 65	15

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	72
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	33
Heart Failure	30
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	40
Dementia	0
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD treated as a general practitioner in Nashville, TN were minimally invasive procedures, catheterization, cardiac procedures and diagnostic procedures.

angioplasty	36
cardiac procedures	119
catheterization	119
diagnostic procedures	105
doctor visit	228
hospital care	82
inpatient care	79
minimally invasive procedures	119
outpatient care	14
stent placement (stenting)	32
vascular procedures	44

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD.

**Gender**
Female	81
Male	119

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	1
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	180
Hispanic	0
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	16
75 to 84	61
Less than 65	27
65 to 74	93

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

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

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	67
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	37
Asthma	6
Osteoporosis	4
Heart Failure	34
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	37
Atrial Fibrillation	20
Dementia	7
Cancer	10

Education & Training

Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine in 1993. He completed residency at Johns Hopkins University Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the Internal Medicine - American Board of Internal Medicine and has a state license in Tennessee.

Medical School: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine (1993)

Residency: Johns Hopkins University Affiliated Hospitals (1996)

Board Certification: Internal Medicine - American Board of Internal Medicine (1996)

Licensed In: Tennessee

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Vanderbilt Health

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 241 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Nashville, TN.

Overall Rating

(241 Ratings)

Leave a Review

Reviews From Around The Web

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-07-11

Patient verified via Press Ganey

Dr. McPherson clearly explains and discusses all needed treatment and listens to and answers any questions. I feel that it is an honor to have him as my doctor.

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-11-21

Patient verified via Press Ganey

Dr McPherson has been my primary cardiologist since 2010. He is a tremendous asset to the VUMC care giving community.

Overall Rating: 5.0 2024-10-29

Patient verified via Press Ganey

I have referred many patients to Dr. McPherson

General Payments

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

**Payments by Company**
Abbott Laboratories	$77 Vascular $77

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$77

Research Payments

Dr. John Addison McPherson, MD has received 6 research payments totaling $12,127.

Biography

Dr. John McPherson's areas of specialization are general practice, interventional cardiology, and vascular medicine (blood vessel disease); he sees patients in Nashville, TN. His areas of expertise include atherosclerosis, angina, and peripheral vascular disease. Patient reviews placed him at an average of 5.0 stars (out of 5). Before completing his residency at a hospital affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, Dr. McPherson attended medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine. He is affiliated with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). His practice in Nashville, TN is open to new patients as reported by Doctor.com.