About me
Allen J. Taylor, MD, FACC, FAHA, is Chairman of Cardiology at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Taylor is a board-certified cardiologist and clinical researcher, specializing in cardiovascular imaging and prevention. He is a member of the corporate Board of Directors for MedStar Health, the leading academic health system in the Washington, D.C and Maryland region.
Dr. Taylor obtained his medical training at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, followed by internal medicine residency training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC, and a cardiovascular disease fellowship at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. During a 20-year career in the United States Army at Walter Reed, he served as the Director of Cardiovascular Research, Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Training Program, and Chief of the Cardiology service. He retired from military service in 2008 at the rank of Colonel, during which he held the Army's "A" proficiency designator and was decorated with the Legion of Merit. He is a full Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda MD, and Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Taylor's major research accomplishments include defining the role of lipid lowering therapy on carotid atherosclerosis, focusing on HDL cholesterol and the use of niacin. His pioneering work in the field of cardiac CT includes conducting long-term prospective outcomes trials, randomized clinical trials on the utility of the technique, and methods to enhance the safety and appropriateness of cardiovascular imaging. He has published more than 210 manuscripts in the areas of imaging, lipids, prevention, cardiovascular outcomes, and quality in journals, such as Circulation, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the New England Journal of Medicine. He receives ongoing research funding from various federal and private sources, including the NIH. He is the author and/or editor of 5 books on topics within cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Taylor served as founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cardiovascular CT, and as Editor of the Braunwald's Heart Disease companion text atlas on cardiac CT. He is a Past President of the Society of Atherosclerosis Imaging and Prevention, and within the American College of Cardiology has held the posts of Chair of the Imaging Council, Chair of the FOCUS campaign for Appropriate Use of Cardiovascular Imaging, and member of the Board of Governors. He is a founder of the Society of Cardiovascular CT, serving on its Board of Directors from 2006-2012, and also a founder of the Certification Board of Cardiovascular CT. He serves on the board of directors for Inteleos, an organization leading certification pathways and excellence among cardiovascular imaging experts. His work on national writing groups and task forces includes multi-society guidelines on cardiac CT training, terminology, and performance, quality standards for imaging performance and radiation protection, Appropriate Use Criteria for diagnostic testing, and national standards on cardiovascular disease management and prevention.
Dr. Taylor contributes frequently to media reports as an authority on cardiovascular disease in major regional and national venues such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, US News and World Report, CNN, Associated Press, Reuters, Forbes, National Public Radio and as a frequent commentator on national video media including Good Morning America, and the NBC and CBS Nightly News programs.
Media Story: Binge Working Increases Risk of Heart Attack (NBC Nightly News)
Clinical areas of focus
- Angiogram
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol Screening
- Event Monitoring
- Holter Monitoring
- Stress Echocardiography
- Stress Test
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Electrocardiogram
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of Aorta
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chest Pain
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Cocaine Related Disorders
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Veins
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Peripheral Vascular System
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Dyspnea On Exertion
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Fibromuscular Dysplasia
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease In Women
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Rhythm Disorders
- Heart Valve Disorders
- High Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol Management
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction Complications
- Myocarditis
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Vessel Disease
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Retinal Vein Occlusion
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Secondary Hypertension
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Swelling In Legs
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Angiogram
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Stenosis Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Line Insertion
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Blood Gas Analysis
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Catheterization Interpretation
- Cardiac Loop Recorder Placement
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Pacemaker Measurement
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardiovascular Stress Testing
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol Screening
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Stenting
- Duplex Scan Of Upper Extremity Arteries
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiologic Study
- Electrophysiology Study
- Endomyocardial Biopsy
- Event Monitoring
- Exercise Stress Test
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Transplant
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Myocardial Infarction Treatment
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Pacemaker Pulse Generator Insertion
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Pulmonary Embolism Treatment
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Stress Echocardiography
- Stress Test
- Syncope Treatment
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Ultrasonography Inferior Vena Cava
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- First Health PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-HMO
- Beech Street PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- OA Plus
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- United Healthcare Choice
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- UHC Passport
- Navigate
- Employee Health Plan
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-EPO Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-POS
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- POS OA
- HighMark
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- IH-PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA EPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- First Health PPO
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Network OA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: University of Virginia School of Medicine (1994)
Residency: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (1991)
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1988)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Blogs
Stress: As dangerous as high cholesterol and blood pressure
The 'other' drug problem: Poor medication adherence
The surprising heart risks of too much sleep and exercise
Know your heart-healthy numbers‚ including CRP
How much caffeine is safe for you and your child?
Why I think it's time to make statins available over-the-counter
5 ways to help a patient with heart disease
Shared decision-making: It's no longer 'doctor knows best'
What do the new blood pressure guidelines mean?