Service Description: The cardiology department at the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust cares for patients with heart disease including angina, heart attacks, heart valve problems, irregular rhythms, cardiomyopathies and congenital disorders.
We have 2 consultant Cardiologists, 1 Staff Grade and 1 Specialist registrar in Cardiology. Clinics are run at North Devon District Hospital and Bideford and South Molton community hospitals.
We offer a range of specialist services including:
- Cardioversion – a brief procedure where an electrical shock is delivered to the heart to correct an abnormal heart rhythm
- A dedicated Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) – a six bedded specialist observation unit.
- A comprehensive diagnostic service which includes Echocardiography, Exercise testing, ambulatory ECG and BP monitoring.
- Rapid Access Chest pain assessment.
- Pacemaker follow-up service
Cardiology patients are usually based on the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) at North Devon District Hospital. Patients stepping down from CCU can go to any of the medical wards at NDDH. The Cardiac Care Unit provides specialist care to patients 24 hours a day and therefore only open to visitors for a limited time each day.
Please contact the ward directly for more information about opening times, by clicking the Wards link below.
http://www.northdevonhealth.nhs.uk/category/patient-information/ward-information/
Patients for angiography, permanent pacing and ICD implant are referred to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
- Angiography – a test that uses an injection of a liquid dye to make the arteries easily visible on X-rays
- Pacing – electrical cardiac stimulation to treat abnormal heart rhythms.
- ICD – Internal Cardiac Defibrillator, a type of complex pacemaker
