External Counter Pulsation Therapy

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is a treatment for angina (also called angina pectoris), or chest pain. Angina occurs when the muscle cells of the heart do not get enough blood to properly maintain their pumping function. The lack of blood supply is most likely to cause pain during physical activity, when the heart pumps fastest and needs the most oxygen. In most people, angina is caused by coronary artery disease.

Results of clinical trials show that EECP is a safe and effective choice for people who are considered at high risk for bypass surgery and angioplasty. The procedure is administered in an outpatient setting, does not require any surgery or anesthetic, and is relatively comfortable for patients.

When applied over time, EECP can reduce the frequency of angina episodes, improve exercise capacity, and may even reduce the need for medications. EECP is not meant to replace bypass surgery or angioplasty, but is an additional treatment for those patients who can no longer benefit from additional surgery or angioplasty.

I just heard about this therapy. It was invented in the USA in the 1950's. Forgotten here, the Asians took it and ran, they developed the therapy -- it began returning here in the 1980's.

How I heard about it was a old veteran I know who trained with and was a medic with Patton is now getting it for his heart.

And that's a interest -- but more of an interest was something I read about counterpulsation and how effective it was with muscular dystrophy. How the therapy caused atrophied muscles to come back.

Anyone on FR have any info on this therapy? I'm wondering if it can be used for physical therapy -- like for folks who have a cast on for long time. Has anyone heard of that kind of use?

I'm a 66 year old male with some artery blockages that are risky for bypass. I have two blockages in the left coronary artery, one down near the bottom at almost 90%, and the other up near the top close to a "Y" junction at 70%.

About three years ago my chest pains were getting pretty bad, I needed my nitro near at hand at all times, I couldn't get too physical at anything or the pain would get real bad and stuff like that.My cardiologist sort of poo-pooed EECP when I asked him about it after seeing some information in the paper about it. He finally said it might be of some use to me.

I went through two series of EECP,one hour a day, five days a week for seven weeks...in other words fourteen weeks of it. Results? I have been free of angina for a little over three years now,I've been able to do some serious walking without gasping in pain and coming close to collapse.

EECP in my opinion should not be a last resort thing after bypass surgery,but rather a first effort in order to avert or delay surgery. My blockages haven't gone away,but I've grown new capillaries around them and they haven't gotten any worse. I may still have to face surgery someday or not... we'll see.

The only negative I can think of is that I also had an arthritic hip that I feel was aggravated by the pressure of the air cuff squeezing on it daily for fourteen weeks...so I had to have a hip replacement done about eighteen months ago,which was another good thing, I also needed back surgery for three squished discs, unrelated to EECP.

If I knew I was gonna live this long I would have taken better care of myself during my mis-spent youth!

As far as EECP is concerned,I say go for it.

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