When your heart beats too slowly or pauses unexpectedly, the effects show up everywhere: fatigue, dizziness, fainting, and a body that struggles to keep up with daily life. A pacemaker can change that by restoring a reliable, steady heartbeat and giving you your energy back.
Dr. Menachem Wakslak is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist who has served the San Fernando Valley since 2012, bringing subspecialty precision and a genuinely personal approach to every pacemaker decision. At Valley Heart & Rhythm in Tarzana, CA, you are treated as a person, not a case on the schedule.
What Is a Pacemaker?
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device implanted just beneath the skin near the collarbone. It continuously monitors the heart’s electrical activity and delivers gentle pulses when the heartbeat becomes too slow or irregular. Most modern pacemakers also support remote monitoring, allowing Dr. Wakslak to track your device and identify any changes between office visits.
Who May Need a Pacemaker?
A pacemaker is typically recommended for patients with bradycardia (an abnormally slow heart rate), heart block, sick sinus syndrome, or recurrent fainting linked to a slow or pausing heartbeat. You may be a candidate if you experience:
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Persistent fatigue or shortness of breath at rest or with light activity
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Unexplained dizziness or lightheadedness
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Fainting or near-fainting episodes (syncope)
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A confirmed abnormally slow or pausing heart rate
Not every slow rhythm requires a device. Dr. Wakslak reviews your full picture, including symptoms, history, and test results, before making any recommendation.
The Pacemaker Implantation Procedure
Pacemaker implantation is minimally invasive, performed under local anesthesia with sedation. A small incision is made near the shoulder, and one or more thin, flexible leads are guided through a vein to the heart. The generator is positioned just beneath the skin and connected to those leads. The procedure typically takes one to two hours, and most patients are discharged the following day.
Recovery After Implantation
Most people experience mild soreness near the incision for the first one to two weeks. Activity restrictions are common early on, particularly overhead arm movements on the side of the implant, but most patients return to normal daily activities within 4 to 6 weeks. Dr. Wakslak and his team walk you through what to expect at every stage of recovery.
Ongoing Pacemaker Management
A pacemaker requires consistent follow-up to remain effective long term. Device checks confirm proper sensing and pacing, battery performance, and programming that continues to match your heart’s changing needs. Remote monitoring helps catch issues early between scheduled appointments.
Pacemaker management is part of the broader pacemaker and cardiac device services at Valley Heart & Rhythm, which also include implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac loop recorders. Patients who received a device elsewhere and are looking for ongoing, attentive management are welcome here as well.
Why Choose Valley Heart & Rhythm for Pacemaker Implantation & Management in Tarzana, CA?
At Valley Heart & Rhythm, Dr. Wakslak leads your pacemaker care from the first evaluation through every follow-up visit, with no rotating providers and no handoffs to someone who has never met you. That level of continuity matters with device-based care, where small shifts in rhythm, settings, or symptoms can carry real consequences.
Dr. Wakslak founded this practice on a straightforward belief: the right treatment for the right patient, arrived at honestly. His team is intentionally small so that everyone knows you by name, and every clinical decision is made by the same physician who knows your complete story. If a pacemaker is the right answer for you, you will understand why. If it is not, he will tell you that too.
Dependable Pacemaker Care in Tarzana, CA
A pacemaker can make a meaningful difference when a slow or unreliable heartbeat is getting in the way of living fully. Whether a device has just been recommended or you already have one and want a physician who stays personally involved in your care, Valley Heart & Rhythm is ready to help. Call (818) 724-8000 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wakslak in Tarzana, CA.
