Welcome to the website of James McPike, M.D., a board certified Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist.

Dr. McPike works with State-of-the-Art Equipment.

Understanding Electrophysiology Studies:

• Cardiac Electrophysiology is the science of elucidating, diagnosing, and treating the electrical activities of the heart. The term is usually used to describe studies of such phenomena by invasive (intracardiac) catheter recording of spontaneous activity as well as of cardiac responses to programmed electrical stimulation (PES). These studies are performed to assess complex arrhythmias, elucidate symptoms, evaluate abnormal electrocardiograms, assess risk of developing arrhythmias in the future, and design treatment. These procedures increasingly include therapeutic methods (typically radiofrequency ablation) in addition to diagnostic and prognostic procedures.
  
  
• Other therapeutic modalities employed in this field include antiarrhythmic drug therapy and implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICD).
  
  
• A specialist in cardiac electrophysiology is known as a cardiac electrophysiologist, or (more commonly) simply an electrophysiologist.
  
  
• Cardiac electrophysiology is considered a subspecialty of cardiology, and in most countries requires two or more years of fellowship training beyond a general cardiology fellowship.
  
  
• Cardiac electrophysiologists are trained to perform interventional cardiac electrophysiology studies (EPS) as well as surgical device implantations.
  
  

NEWS RELEASE
July 7, 2009

Memorial’s Dr. McPike First in Metro East to
Use New Technology to Help Heart Patients

(Belleville, Illinois) Dr. James McPike, a cardiologist and a member of Memorial Hospital’s medical staff is using an innovative technology to treat patients with heart failure. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) helps restore normal heart function to patients, and through the use of the Medtronic Attain StarFix® lead, surgery outcomes are improving. This device is being used exclusively at Memorial by Dr. McPike, who is the only board certified electrophysiologist in the metro east. (see full report in our news area)

Note:  The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.