Your heart’s rhythm is the foundation of everything. When it falters, whether it beats too slowly, too erratically, or in a pattern that puts you at risk, the right cardiac device can restore stability and real peace of mind. Cardiac device care is one of the most significant decisions a heart patient can face, and it deserves more than a rushed appointment and a standard recommendation.
Dr. Menachem Wakslak is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist with more than a decade of experience. Serving patients at Valley Heart & Rhythm in Tarzana, CA, he takes an approach to pacemakers and cardiac devices that is built around one principle: the right treatment for the right person, decided by a physician who actually knows you.
What Are Cardiac Devices?
Cardiac devices are small, implantable electronics designed to monitor and correct heart rhythm problems. Depending on your condition, a device may pace your heart, deliver a controlled shock if it detects a dangerous rhythm, resynchronize the heart’s chambers, or continuously record your heart’s activity to help reach a diagnosis.
Pacemaker Implantation & Management
A pacemaker is a small device placed beneath the skin near the collarbone that delivers electrical signals to keep the heart beating at a safe, steady rate. It is most commonly used for bradycardia, a condition in which the heart beats too slowly. Dr. Wakslak performs pacemaker implantation and provides ongoing device management to ensure the device continues to work as it should over time.
ICD & CRT Device Care
An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) monitors the heart continuously and delivers a precise shock when it detects a life-threatening arrhythmia. A cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device improves coordination between the heart’s chambers and is often used for patients with heart failure. Dr. Wakslak provides complete implantation and long-term follow-up care for both device types.
Cardiac Device Checks & Remote Monitoring
Living with a cardiac device requires consistent follow-up. Valley Heart & Rhythm offers both in-office device checks and remote monitoring, so your device’s data can be reviewed without requiring a visit every time. This approach keeps your care proactive and allows Dr. Wakslak to catch any changes early, before they become a problem.
Implantable Loop Recorder Services
When symptoms like fainting, palpitations, or unexplained dizziness occur infrequently, they can be difficult to capture on a short-term monitor. An implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a small device placed just beneath the skin that continuously records your heart rhythm for up to three years. It is one of the most effective tools for identifying arrhythmias and syncope that standard testing cannot catch.
Who May Need a Cardiac Device?
A cardiac device may be appropriate if you have:
-
A heart rate that is consistently too slow (bradycardia)
-
A history of dangerous heart rhythms or cardiac arrest
-
Heart failure that has not improved with medication alone
-
Unexplained fainting or near-fainting (syncope)
-
Ongoing symptoms that have not been explained by standard testing
Not every patient with these conditions needs a device. Dr. Wakslak will review your complete history and give you an honest, straightforward assessment of whether a device is the right answer for your situation.
Why Choose Valley Heart & Rhythm for Pacemakers & Cardiac Devices in Tarzana, CA?
Dr. Wakslak completed medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, cardiovascular disease training at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, and his cardiac electrophysiology fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He has practiced in the San Fernando Valley since 2012 and performs the full range of cardiac device procedures, from initial implantation to long-term management and remote monitoring.
At Valley Heart & Rhythm, every clinical decision is made by Dr. Wakslak, who knows your full medical history and weighs it against your personal circumstances and goals. There are no rotating providers, no hand-offs to staff you have not met, and no visits that feel like starting over. When you have questions about your device or your care, you speak directly with the physician who implanted it.
Clearer Answers. Better Care. Right Here in Tarzana.
A cardiac device is a significant decision, and you deserve an expert who treats it that way. At Valley Heart & Rhythm in Tarzana, CA, Dr. Wakslak and his team are ready to sit with you, walk through your options, and help you move forward with confidence and clarity. Call (818) 724-8000 to schedule your consultation.
