What is EECP Treatment?

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is a non-invasive outpatient treatment for patients suffering from Angina and Congestive Heart Failure.

What is Angina?
Angina pectoris literally means “strangling in the chest.” It is the most common symptom of coronary artery disease. The majority of patients with angina complain of chest discomfort provoked by mental, physical, or emotional stress. The discomfort can vary widely among patients. Some patients report shortness of breath, fatigue, indigestion, faintness, pain in the chest, arm, neck, or jaw, and other symptoms.

What is Congestive Heart Failure?
Congestive Heart failure develops when the heart doesn’t function properly. The names “heart failure” and “Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)” often confuse people since the heart hasn’t actually “failed” or stopped. Heart failure is a medical term that describes the condition in which one or more chambers of the heart “fail” to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through them. Heart failure can be brought on by a variety of underlying diseases and health problems. Signs and symptoms may include, swelling of the legs, shortness of breath, and decreased exercise tolerance, just to name a few.

Heart failure may involve the left side, the right side or both sides of the heart. Each side has two chambers: an atrium (upper chamber) and a ventricle (lower chamber). Heart failure occurs when any one of these four chambers is no longer able to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through it.

Two types of heart dysfunction can lead to heart failure, including:

• Systolic Heart Failure — This is the most common cause of heart failure and occurs when the heart is weak and enlarged. The muscle of the left ventricle loses some of its ability to contract or shorten. In turn, it may not have the muscle power to pump the amount of oxygenated and nutrient-filled blood the body needs.
• Diastolic Failure — The muscle becomes stiff and loses some of its ability to relax. As a result, the affected chamber has trouble filling with blood during the rest period that occurs between each heartbeat. Often the walls of the heart thicken, and the size of the left chamber may be normal or reduced.

How does EECP Treatment work?
Normal heart function depends on maintaining a balance between oxygen supply and demand. Oxygen Consumption (demand) by the cardiac muscle is determined by how fast your heart is beating and how well it pumps. The amount of oxygen available (supply) is determined by blood flow. Approximately 80% of the blood flow to the cardiac muscle occurs when the heart is resting. When narrowed or blocked arteries restrict blood flow, oxygen supply to portions of the heart may at times be insufficient. Increases in oxygen demand can occur during exercise, rises in emotion, fever, periods of low blood sugar, or after meals, triggering the onset of angina.

EECP utilizes a set of cuffs that are wrapped around the patients’ calves, thighs, and buttocks. The system uses an ECG signal to electronically synchronize inflation and deflation of the cuffs. The inflation happens when the heart is at rest (the beginning of diastole) and relieves the heart muscle, decreases the heart’s workload, and creates a greater oxygen supply while lowering oxygen demand.

Clinical studies indicate that EECP treatment may create a “natural” bypass of blocked arteries. EECP treatment encourages blood vessels to open or form small channels that become extra branches (collateral circulation). These channels or collaterals may become permanent pathways to the heart muscle that was previously deprived of blood flow also known as remolding.

How long is the EECP Treatment?
Patients typically attend one-hour treatment sessions once a day, five days a week, for seven weeks (total of 35 treatments). Many patients have continued with their employment while receiving treatment.

Will I feel better after having EECP?

• Patients have reported the ability to walk farther and be more active without having angina
• Episodes of angina less severe
• Patients reported the need of less anti-anginal medication
• Patients feel more confident about participating in their social lives

To learn more about EECP visit www.naturalbypass.com.

So ask your physician to evaluate you. You may be a candidate for EECP.