I DID NOT WRITE THE FOLLOWING--RB
Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is a nonsurgical therapy for
angina, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other conditions involving
poor circulation.
If you've been diagnosed with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetic
neuropathy, or another circulatory disorder, you could benefit from a
nonsurgical therapy called EECP.
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This therapy is sometimes referred to as a "natural bypass" because it
enhances the body's ability to create new pathways for blood flow around
clogged arteries. EECP greatly accelerates the formation of tiny blood
vessels called collaterals, helping restore healthy circulation to organs
and tissues that have been deprived of blood and oxygen.
During an EECP treatment, you lie on a bed wearing a series of adjustable
cuffs around your calves, lower thighs, and upper thighs. The cuffs are
inflated in sequence, placing pressure on the legs that assists blood flow
from the lower limbs to the heart. The inflation of the cuffs is timed to
occur so that increased blood flow is delivered to the heart at the precise
moment it is relaxing. Then, just before the heart pumps, the cuffs deflate,
reducing resistance and decreasing the heart's workload.
A treatment session lasts about one hour, during which you can read, listen
to music, or relax comfortably. Most patients undergo 35 one-hour sessions,
once or twice a day, over the course of a few weeks.
EECP was developed at Harvard University almost 50 years ago as a therapy
for angina, the squeezing chest pain that occurs when the heart is not
getting enough oxygen. This most common symptom of coronary artery disease
can be extremely disabling, interfering with the ability to work, exercise,
or enjoy social activities.
By encouraging the formation of collaterals around blockages in the coronary
arteries, EECP enhances the heart's supply of oxygen and reduces chest pain.
Several studies conducted at leading university medical centers have shown
that patients who undergo a course of EECP experience significant benefits:
They have fewer episodes of angina
The episodes of angina are less intense
They need less anti-angina medication
They can walk farther without experiencing angina
They can resume work and enjoy more social activities
Unlike drugs that are prescribed for angina, EECP is completely safe and
without side effects. And unlike angioplasty and bypass surgery - highly
invasive surgical interventions that are used to clear or circumvent
blockages in the arteries - EECP can be done on an outpatient basis and
requires no post-treatment recovery period. EECP's benefits in heart disease
are now so well recognized that Medicare reimburses for it.
Many patients undergo EECP after suffering a heart attack or enduring one or
even several surgeries for coronary artery disease. In some cases, EECP is
their only option. Yet this noninvasive therapy is so safe and effective
that it should be considered as a first-line treatment for angina, not just
a last resort after surgery has been ruled out.
For a growing number of patients, opting for EECP before consenting to a
potentially dangerous surgical procedure is an obvious decision. In less
time than it takes to recover from bypass surgery, these patients can
complete a full course of EECP and begin enjoying an active, pain-free life.
EECP isn't just a powerful therapy for angina. Virtually any condition in
which poor circulation is a contributing factor can benefit from EECP. Here
is just a partial list:
Congestive heart failure
Diabetic neuropathy
Erectile dysfunction
Hypertension
Kidney disease
Memory disorders
Peripheral vascular disease
Parkinson's disease
Vision problems
An international study group evaluated EECP's effectiveness for patients
with chronic stable angina at seven medical centers. After treatment, 85
percent of patients experienced a significant improvement in their angina
symptoms, and 83 percent showed a measurable increase in blood flow to the
heart. Exercise capacity also improved significantly. American Journal of
Cardiology, 2002; 89(7): 822-4.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School studied EECP's effects on angina in
diabetic patients with or without congestive heart failure. EECP was equally
effective in both groups: on average, 70 percent of patients experienced a
significant reduction in the severity of their angina. The number of angina
episodes per week decreased by an average of 10 percent. Nitroglycerin use
also declined. Abstract #689-P, 62nd Scientific Sessions of the American
Diabetes Association, San Francisco, California, June 15, 2002.
German researchers studied the effects of EECP on blood flow to the eyes in
elderly patients with diagnosed coronary artery disease. They measured blood
flow through the ophthalmic artery, a major vessel that provides two-third's
of the retina's blood supply. After EECP, patients experienced an average
improvement of 11.4 percent in blood flow through the ophthalmic artery.
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 2001; 239(80):
599-602.