Cardiology for Pasadena, with admitting privileges at Huntington Memorial
Pasadena patients usually come to CACVI for one of three reasons: a second opinion on an interventional recommendation, a Caltech or JPL employee whose health plan steers them to our Westside office, or a primary care doctor at Huntington Memorial who wants a vascular-trained cardiologist on the case. We’re 25 minutes from most of Pasadena via the CA-110.
Pasadena patients ask sharp questions. Caltech researchers want the imaging on screen and the differential explained in detail. JPL retirees want their afib managed with the lowest stroke risk and the fewest interactions with their other meds. CACVI is built for exactly that conversation. Dr. Mehran J. Khorsandi and Dr. Moinakhtar Lala personally read every new chart, run the in-office imaging themselves, and explain the findings the same visit. Combined experience: thirty-plus years, over 15,000 cardiac and vascular procedures, board certifications kept current.
Find out the cause of your heart condition.
Our Beverly Hills office runs an in-office cardiac evaluation, EKG, and echocardiogram in a single visit so Pasadena patients aren’t making the CA-110 drive twice. We see the standard Pasadena cardiology mix: coronary artery disease in patients over 60, atrial fibrillation in active retirees, heart failure follow-up after Huntington Memorial admissions, valve disease, and peripheral arterial disease in patients with longstanding diabetes. CACVI physicians hold admitting and consult privileges at Huntington Memorial, so continuity is straightforward if you’re admitted there.
Pasadena Cardiac Specialists
Pasadena has plenty of cardiology — Huntington Health employs a large group, and several private practices cover South Pas, San Marino, and Altadena. What CACVI adds for a Pasadena patient is the combination of interventional cardiology and vascular surgery under one roof, with the same physician doing both the consult and the procedure. If your case crosses into peripheral arterial disease, varicose vein intervention, or DVT, you don’t have to start a second referral chain.
Be prepared.
For acute symptoms in Pasadena — chest pain over five minutes, sudden weakness on one side, fainting — call 911. The nearest emergency room is Huntington Memorial Hospital on South Pasadena Avenue, usually under 10 minutes from any Pasadena address. Do not drive yourself; EMS can start the workup en route and call ahead to the cath lab.
The Rose Bowl, Old Pasadena, Caltech, and most Pasadena office towers should have visible AEDs at this point. Bystander defibrillation inside three minutes roughly doubles survival from sudden cardiac arrest.
A Pasadena patient’s first visit at our Beverly Hills office is typically 60 to 90 minutes: history, focused physical exam, EKG, echocardiogram, and a sit-down review of the findings on screen. We pull records ahead of time from Huntington Memorial or your Pasadena primary care doctor if you give us a few days’ notice. The drive is 25 minutes via the CA-110 — we book Pasadena patients early or late in the day to dodge downtown traffic. Visit summaries go back to your PCP within 48 hours so routine refills and BP checks stay in Pasadena.
Protect your heart.
Trust Your Heart to Our Expert Care
On average, someone dies of cardiovascular disease (CVD) every 37 seconds in the U.S. There are 2,353 deaths from CVD each day, based on 2017 data.
High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors.
Pasadena skews older, higher-income, and more health-literate than the LA County average — which sounds like easy cardiology but isn’t. Patients here often arrive on multiple medications, with imaging from three prior consults, looking for a clear answer. Roughly half of American adults have at least one of the three big modifiable risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking); in Pasadena the controlled-cholesterol but uncontrolled-BP combination is common, often missed because resting clinic readings look fine. Our job is to find what’s actually driving the picture and trim everything that isn’t.
CACVI’s experienced cardiologists are determined to provide each patient with experienced, compassionate care as they work diligently to improve your health.
Dr. Moinakhtar Lala and Dr. Mehran J. Khorsandi
Meet Your Pasadena Cardiologists
The Center for Advanced Cardiac and Vascular Interventions (CACVI) is led by Dr. Khorsandi and Dr. Lala, who have over thirty years of practice with over 15,000 vascular and cardiac procedures performed. Our physicians are determined to provide each patient with experienced, compassionate care as they work diligently to improve your health.
Why Pasadena patients choose CACVI
Our Los Angeles office at 8741 Alden Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90048 is ~25 min west via I-110/CA-110 from Pasadena. Patients commute via CA-110 + I-210 for cardiac evaluation, vascular care, and follow-up imaging.
- Same-week appointments — we keep capacity open for Pasadena patients with acute symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, claudication).
- Hospital admitting privileges — our physicians have admitting/consult privileges at major hospitals serving Pasadena, including Huntington Memorial Hospital.
- Direct physician contact — not a call center. Dr. Vasim Lala, MD, FACC or Dr. Moinakhtar Lala, MD, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI reviews every new Pasadena case before the appointment.
- Insurance and LA County medical groups — we accept most major commercial plans plus Medicare.
Frequently Asked Questions for Pasadena Patients
How do I schedule an appointment from Pasadena?
Call (310) 853-2222 or use our online contact form. New patient appointments are typically available within 7–14 days at our Los Angeles office — ~25 min west via I-110/CA-110 from Pasadena.
Do you accept patients from LA County?
Yes. We routinely see patients from Pasadena and the surrounding LA County area at our Los Angeles location.
What symptoms warrant immediate evaluation?
If you experience chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, sudden shortness of breath, fainting, or stroke-like symptoms, call 911. Do not drive to our Los Angeles office serving Pasadena — the nearest emergency room for Pasadena residents is Huntington Memorial Hospital.
What does an initial CACVI evaluation include?
physical examination, medical history review, EKG (in-office), echocardiogram (in-office), risk stratification, and a personalized treatment plan. Additional testing is scheduled based on findings.
Are your physicians board-certified?
Yes. Dr. Moinakhtar Lala, MD, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI and our other physicians are board-certified with subspecialty training. Verify current certifications via the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Do you offer telehealth for Pasadena patients?
For follow-up visits, medication management, and test-result reviews — yes. For new patients we recommend an in-person initial evaluation at our Los Angeles office.
Ready to talk with a Pasadena-area specialist?
Call (310) 853-2222 for our Los Angeles office or request a consultation online. We see Pasadena patients within 7–14 days for cardiac evaluation, palpitation workup, hypertension management, and vascular concerns.
What our patients say
