Welcome to CPCMG

For Health Professionals

CPCMG's board-certified cardiologists welcome the opportunity to work with you in evaluating your patients' cardiac conditions.

• Advanced Echocardiography
• EKG and Echocardiography Stress Testing
• Holter Monitoring
• Nuclear Cardiology Imaging: Myocardial Perfusion
• Pacemaker Monitoring
• Ultrasonography and Arterial Graphics for Arterial Studies

CPCMG's highly-trained cardiovascular physicians are aided by the most advanced diagnostic technologies that rapidly provide precise assessment of cardiovascular functioning. In addition to consultative and preventive care, CPCMG's cardiologists perform the full range of invasive and interventional procedures including cardiac catheterization and angiography, pacemaker and AICD implantation, the insertion of stents, balloon angioplasty, the advanced use of low dose radiation to clear blockages, and atherectomies.

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ADVANCED ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Technological applications have advanced this reliable, convenient tool into a new realm of exceptional performance. The most advanced echocardiography services are now available to your patients through the California Pacific Cardiology Medical Group at our Non-Invasive Laboratory.

ADVANCED EQUIPMENT

The equipment used at CPCMG's Non-Invasive Laboratory - Acuson's Sequoia C256 Echocardiography System - uniquely applies Ultrasound physics to advance echocardiography to a new level of diagnostic capability. This is as a result of:

TIMLEY RESULTS

Acuson's equipment works in powerful partnership with KineTex digital analysis equipment and provides rapid transmission of test results and interpretation to your office via Internet or fax of the testing. This powerful combination of new technologies offers you an unprecedented amount of new information through echocardiography, providing precise images previously unavailable through this method.

SPECIALIZED PHYSICIANS

The CPCMG Board certified cardiologists who will oversee your patients' testing and the resulting data interpretation are:

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EKG AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY STRESS TESTING

Both of these tests provide information about the heart when it is functioning under carefully measured and physician-monitored exercise. Measuring cardiac function under this pressure can be done with either the multi-lead ECG or echocardiography, both utilizing technologically advanced equipment at CPCMG

The advanced equipment that CPCMG utilizes is the most technologically advanced, computer-assisted equipment in cardiac stress testing to assure accuracy and reporting speed.

Cardiac stress testing is recommended for assessment of:

Following the stress testing, a CPCMG Board-certified cardiologist will interpret test results and provide them to you within two working days by phone, e-mail, or fax.

SPECIALIZED SERVICE

The team of cardiologists involved with cardiac stress testing has years of experience in this testing modality. They are:

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HOLTER MONITORING

Holter monitoring offers a simple, comprehensive record of a patient’s cardiac activity over a 24-hour period. Use of the Holter monitor is recommended for patients of all ages for the assessment of transient symptomatic cardiac arrhythmia and other conditions such as:

ADVANCED EQUIPMENT

CPCMG uses a CardioPerfect Holter monitor. The lightweight unit rests in a small case like a fanny pack that the patient wears on a belt. Small electrode leads are strategically applied with mild adhesive.

The Cardio-Perfect Monitor records 24 hours of continuous, digital ECG recording on two channels, plus a third discrete timing track. Built-in automatic calibration offers reliable, pinpoint accuracy of ST measurements and programmable analysis criteria. An event marker activated by the patient provides simple correlation between the patient’s diary entries and the resultant ECG waveforms. Upon the patient’s return of the monitor to the CPCMG Non-Invasive Laboratory, the data is downloaded and a report interpreted by our Board-certified cardiologist.

SPECIALIZED PHYSICIANS

The Board-certified cardiologists who will review and interpret your patient’s Holter monitoring data have decades of experience, bolstered by advanced specialized training in the use of this cutting edge technology. They include:

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NUCLEAR CARDIOLOGY IMAGING: MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION

Myocardial Perfusion imaging provides an image of the blood flow through coronary arteries. This test determines if there is coronary artery disease and, if so, the location and severity of the problem. The imaging may be done following physician-monitored exercise or sometimes with a medication (Persantine), which temporarily widens the arteries. Pharmacologic-Assisted Myocardial Perfusion Imaging is the preferred modality for patients who are unable to exercise to maximal testing level due to physical or mental state or are being tested for a left bundle branch blockage. Persantine-assisted imaging appears to deliver greater results accuracy than exercise stress testing in determining this diagnosis. Persantine causes coronary vasodilatation by inhibiting cellular adenosine uptake, thereby increasing extra cellular adenosine levels.

Myocardial perfusion imaging is used for the assessment of a variety of known or suspected heart conditions including:

Following the testing, CPCMG Board certified cardiologists will interpret test results and provide them to you within two working days by phone, e-mail, or fax.

SPECIALIZED SERVICE

At CPCMG, Myocardial Perfusion Imaging is performed using ADAC technology, utilizing the most advanced quantitative software for myocardial perfusion studies. Using a dual isotope protocol, this equipment allows precise digital imaging, providing gated images for the evaluation of ejection fraction and wall motion on all imaging studies. The accuracy of the images produced provides diagnostic information of an exceptional quality previously unavailable through non-invasive procedures.

Importantly, the imaging scintillation camera is housed in a large, airy room with a wall of windows looking out on a panoramic view of the city, offering your patients a relaxing clinical setting during their assessments. Additionally, our advanced equipment has reduced the time needed for these studies by 30 percent.

The team of cardiologists involved with this aspect of the practice has years of experience in the use of nuclear imaging in disease diagnosis. They are:

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PACEMAKER MONITORING

Consistent monitoring of pacemaker performance is essential to assure your patient’s sense of well-being and confidence and the device’s optimal performance. CPCMG offers an on-going weekly clinic to meet the special needs of your pacemaker-assisted patients. At CPCMG, the pacemaker monitoring is performed with digital equipment using the most current and sensitive assessment software, unlike less comprehensive transtelephonic check of pacemakers. We are able to monitor all of the major brands of pacemakers and lesser-known makes as well. These monitoring services can be provided as you prescribe at recommended intervals of between three and six months.

During the visit, CPCMG’s advanced, digital technology will provide a rapid interrogation of the pacemaker’s performance, providing 75 percent more critical and precise information than a basic transtelephonic check. This comprehensive evaluation focuses on:

SPECIALIZED SERVICE

The Pacemaker Monitoring Clinic is under the medical direction of Richard A. Francoz, M.D., F.A.C.C., a Board-certified cardiologist with specialized pacemaker training and experience.

If worrisome pacemaker performance is detected, this information will be phoned in to your office on the day of the assessment. Results of routine evaluations will be sent to your office within two working days. Additionally, our pacemaker assessment team is always available to answer your questions or confer on issues of interest to you or your patient.

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ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND ARTERIAL GRAPHICS FOR ARTERIAL STUDIES

The use of advanced technologies for arterial studies of the upper and lower extremities is available to your patients through CPCMG.

By using the advanced, digitally assisted Ultrasound technology available through CPCMG and applying it to arterial studies, not only can the site of narrowing and occlusion be precisely located, but its hemodynamic significance can be determined.

The equipment used at CPCMG’s noninvasive laboratory, Acuson’s Sequoia C256 Echocardiography System™, uniquely applies Ultrasound physics to advance echocardiography to a new level of diagnostic capability and imaging precision.

This equipment works powerfully and quickly to provide you with precise test results within two business days, or on the day of the test interpretation if worrisome results are detected. Arterial studies of the extremities are performed by a specially trained technician under the guidance of a Board-certified cardiologist.

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