When North Andover resident Sudeep Chawla felt a strange pain near his shoulder blade one evening he didn’t think much of it. A later bout of vomiting left him wondering if he ate something that didn’t agree with him. But by the next morning, the discomfort lingered — and that instinct to seek care likely saved the 40-year-old chiropractor’s life.
What began as a trip to urgent care quickly escalated: Chawla was rushed to Merrimack Health’s Lawrence Hospital by ambulance, where doctors diagnosed him with a widow maker heart attack — a severe form of heart attack that only about 12% of patients survive.
Thanks to the fast-acting, highly experienced team at Lawrence Hospital, Chawla received a diagnostic electrocardiogram (EKG) and was immediately transferred to the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab. There, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Gerard Daly found a complete blockage in Chawla’s left anterior descending artery (LAD). Within just 26 minutes of identifying the issue, Daly and the team had cleared the blockage and placed a stent. From the moment Chawla arrived at the hospital to when the balloon inflated in his artery — known as “door-to-balloon time” — only 80 minutes had passed. The national target is under 90 minutes, and shorter times mean better outcomes.
“It took everyone in our chain to make this work — from the Emergency Center recognizing that he needs an EKG to our Cath Lab team performing the procedure,” Dr. Daly said.
Chawla remembers the moment vividly — especially the celebration in the Cath Lab. “I’ve had surgeries in Boston, and we had our kids at other hospitals, and this Merrimack Health team is phenomenal – truly awesome,” Chawla said.
After a short stay in the Intensive Care Unit and follow-up care with Daly and fellow cardiologist Dr. Sunit Mukherjee, Chawla returned home with a solid recovery plan, including cardiac rehab. Today, he’s back to work — and back to life — with a renewed sense of gratitude.
Heart care services provided by Merrimack Health’s cardiac program isn’t just saving lives — it’s setting standards. In 2025 Lawrence Hospital was once again named a HeartCARE Center: National Distinction of Excellence by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for its high-quality, patient-centered cardiovascular care. This marks the eighth consecutive year the hospital has earned this distinction.
In fact, Lawrence Hospital was the first program in Massachusetts to be accredited by the ACC, and one of the first four hospitals nationwide to receive the HeartCARE designation when it was launched in 2018. The hospital has also achieved several other ACC accreditations, including:
- Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI Accreditation
- Chest Pain Accreditation with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Heart Failure Accreditation
Our program supports cardiac diagnostics, emergency treatment of heart attacks and conditions, cardiac catheterizations, and primary angioplasty, in addition to Impella left ventricular devices, congestive heart failure management, and complex and minimally invasive vascular surgery.
Chawla’s story is one of many that underscore the dedication, coordination, and clinical excellence that define Merrimack Health’s commitment to its communities in serving the health care needs of its patients.