Heart and Vascular

Mission: Lifeline® puts the unparalleled expertise of the American Heart Association to work helping communities and hospitals save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to appropriate treatments.
*NOTE: As of November 11, 2019, EKGs will no longer be performed in the Laboratory Services (Registration and Testing) area. Patients scheduled for an EKG will be seen in the Cardiovascular Services area on the second floor of the Hospital.
At our Center for Cardiovascular Specialties, our highly qualified staff is particularly sensitive to the physical and emotional well-being of patients and their families.
That is just one of the reasons we received a "Best Acute Care Hospitals Award" from Total Benchmark Solution for ranking in the top 100 acute care hospitals in the areas of heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia care.
Exeter Hospital’s acute cardiac team provides fast and effective care, ranking among the best in hospitals nationwide.
In our Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab), great care is taken during non-surgical procedures to diagnose and evaluate heart disorders, and treat heart attacks.
Heart Catheterization is the passage of a catheter into the heart to gather information about the heart or blood vessels, or to provide therapeutic interventions.
Angioplasty involves the opening of a coronary (heart) artery with a balloon or stent, and is widely believed to be the best treatment for heart attacks. Exeter Hospital's affiliated, fellowship-trained interventional cardiologists and cardiac team have received international recognition for their ongoing successful use of emergency angioplasty.
Other procedures and tests performed in the Cath Lab:
Angiography is an examination of blood vessels using a contrast medium that is injected into the vessels.
Cardioversion converts abnormal heart rhythms to normal rhythms through electricity or drug therapy.
Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) can be inserted to prevent sudden death caused by life-threatening heart rhythms.
Permanent Pacemaker Placement is the implant of an electronic device that assists or takes over the function of the heart's natural pacemaker. We understand that recovering from a cardiac procedure or incident can be difficult for both patient and families. That is why our three-phase Cardiac Rehabilitation programs are an effective way for everyone to learn about managing heart disease, decreasing cardiovascular risk factors, reducing and managing stress, and improving endurance and strength with daily activities.

Read about how our "chain of survival" helped this patient, Frank "Win" Elliott. Click Here

Read a personal story from one of our grateful patients, click here.

Read about how the cardiology team helped Exeter police officer Bruce Page develop a healthier lifestyle after his heart attack, click here.
While recovering in the hospital from a heart attack, patients and their families receive education about the heart disease, risk factors, and methods to manage it. Low-level activities are performed with rehab specialists on an individual basis if necessary. A consult with a registered dietician provides nutritional counseling about heart-healthy eating habits and food choices.
Learn More >
Related Health Information