Jump to content

  • Set Your Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
Set Your LocationSet Your Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • All CitiesAll Cities
  • Services
  • Heart and Vascular Services
  • Electrophysiology (Arrhythmia)
Content

CPMC Electrophysiology

Heartbeat irregularities, called arrhythmias, can lead to a variety of serious health conditions. At California Pacific Medical Center, we offer a full spectrum of electrophysiology services to diagnose and treat nearly every condition affecting the heart’s electrical system.

Doctor listening to elderly woman's heartbeat

Chat With a Referral Specialist Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PT

Or call (855) 421-2904.

Featured Services

  • Cardiac Implantable Devices
  • Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnostic Services
  • Cardioversion
  • Watchman Implant

Diagnosing and Treating Irregular Heartbeat

The heart relies on electrical impulses to beat. When the area of the heart sending the signals (the sinoatrial node) develops a problem or the electrical pathways become blocked, your heart can develop an irregular beat called an arrhythmia. This can cause worrisome symptoms such as heart palpitations or dizziness or, in serious cases, even lead to cardiac arrest.

Close up of EKG readout

Thankfully, arrhythmias can be treated using cardiac electrophysiology, the study of heart’s electrical system. Specially trained cardiologists at PAMF called electrophysiologists use advanced equipment to diagnose the source of the irregular rhythm. They can then treat the problem using a number of minimally invasive methods.

The Kanbar Cardiac Center

The Kanbar Cardiac Center at CPMC offers advanced technology and equipment to diagnose heart disease, treat people with irregular heartbeats and open blocked vessels or arteries.

Cardiac Ablation

Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that restores normal heart rhythms by destroying (ablating) any tiny areas of heart tissue causing the arrhythmias. Electrophysiologists at PAMF use catheters guided by sophisticated X-ray and 3-D mapping, as well as robotic navigation called stereotaxis.

Implantable Pacemaker and Cardiac Defibrilator

A pacemaker is a device with a small, battery-powered generator and one or more wires (or leads) that monitors the electrical impulses of your heart and, when needed, produces electrical impulses to help your heart regain a regular rhythm. An electrophysiologist implants the pacemaker under the skin, usually in the chest near the shoulder, and extends tiny lead wires through a vein to your heart muscle.

Our experts may recommend a cardiac resynchronization therapy device, a specialized pacemaker, which works especially well for those at risk of heart failure and whose heart chambers do not beat in unison. It stimulates two areas of the heart – the right and left ventricles (lower chambers) and atria (upper chambers) – to help them pump more efficiently.

Depending on your type of arrhythmia, you may need an implantable cardiac defibrillator. Like a pacemaker, an ICD monitors your heartbeat and sends electrical impulses to the heart to normalize heart rhythm. However, an ICD also can detect dangerously rapid or erratic heartbeat in the heart ventricles and deliver a more powerful electric shock to immediately restore a normal heartbeat.

A particular type of ICD called a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator places the electrode near, but not in, the heart, to reduce risks for certain patients. Ask your doctor if this type of device is optimal for your situation.

Many ICDs can record the heart's electrical patterns whenever an abnormal heartbeat occurs. Your doctor will review this data during your regular check-ups and use it to inform any future treatment.

Helpful Resources

Close up of a heart pacemaker

Living With an Implantable Cardiac Device

Your pacemaker or implantable cardiac defibrillator can provide years of dependable service but it does require you to adjust some personal practices and attend to regular care and maintenance. Learn what you and your doctor can do to keep your implantable device running smoothly.

Health and Wellness

Heart Palpitations: What to Know About Thumps, Flutters and Skipped Beats

Learn More About Heart Palpitations

A racing or irregular-feeling heartbeat may be a sign of a serious problem, or just a signal that you need to stop, rest and take a few deep breaths. Learn potential causes for heart palpitations and how to know when it’s time to seek medical attention.

Learn More About Heart Palpitations Learn More About Heart Palpitations

Patient Stories

Patient Gains New Life after Heart Surgery

Alice Santos discusses the exceptional cardiac care she received at CPMC's Kanbar Cadiac Center.

View All Stories

Electrophysiology Research

Sutter Health Electrophysiology Research
Cardiac Electrophysiology, or arrhythmia is the study of the electrical functions of the cells within the heart. The electrical signals can be observed using an Electrocardiogram, or an ECG. An ECG can reveal different arrhythmic conditions such as Bradycardia, Tachycardia, and Atrial Fibrillation.

Sutter Health Electrophysiology Research Sutter Health Electrophysiology Research

Doctors at California Pacific Medical Center

The following doctors are part of the Sutter Health network. Learn about the doctors on this site.
Benjamin Romick, M.D., FACC, CCDS

Benjamin Romick, M.D., FACC, CCDS

  • Electrophysiology

Richard H. Hongo, M.D., FACC

Richard H. Hongo, M.D., FACC

  • Electrophysiology

Christopher Woods, M.D., Ph.D., FHRS

Christopher Woods, M.D., Ph.D., FHRS

  • Electrophysiology

Steven C. Hao, M.D., FACC

Steven C. Hao, M.D., FACC

  • Electrophysiology

View All Related Doctors

Services Near You

CPMC Pacific Heights Outpatient Center | 2333 Buchanan Street

CPMC Pacific Heights Outpatient Center | 2333 Buchanan Street

2333 Buchanan Street

San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 600-6000

View All Related Locations

  • Contact Us
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Request Medical Records
  • Make a Gift
Sign in to My Health Online

Billing and Insurance

  • Pay a Bill
  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Estimate Costs
  • Medicare Advantage

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Community Benefit
  • Annual Report
  • News

Our Team

  • For Employees
  • For Medical Professionals
  • For Vendors
  • For Volunteers

Careers

  • Jobs at Sutter
  • Physician Jobs
  • Graduate Medical Education

Copyright © 2023 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

  • ADA Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • LinkedIn Opens new window
  • YouTube Opens new window
  • Facebook Opens new window
  • Twitter Opens new window
  • Instagram Opens new window
  • Glassdoor Opens new window

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences