EECP 1

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EECP 1 – July 1st, 2007

Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP)

Creats Bypass naturally Courtesy: Neomed hospital 2181, L-Block, 12th main road,
Anna Nagar, Chennai-600 040.

What is Angina?

Angina is the global term for all symptoms associated with coronary artery disease, which occurs when the heart is not receiving enough blood. It occurs when vessels that carry blood to the heart muscle become dysfunctional, and are often narrowed or blocked. Angina may feel like chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, pain in the jaw, neck, arms, back, nausea, or generalized fatigue. Each patient experiences angina differently.
What does EECP stand for?

The acronym EECP stands for Enhanced External Counterpulsation.

What is EECP?

EECP is a non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical, treatment for heart disease that is used to relieve or eliminate angina. During the treatment, blood pressure cuffs are wrapped around your legs, and squeezed and released in sync with your heartbeat, promoting blood flow throughout our body and particularly to your heart. In the process, EECP develops new pathways around blocked arteries in the heart by expanding networks of tiny blood vessels (“collaterals”) that help increase and normalize blood flow to the heart muscle. For this reason, it is often called the NATURAL BYPASS.
What are the advantages of EECP?

Unlike bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty, and stenting procedures, EECP is non-invasive, carries no risk, is comfortable and is administered in outpatient sessions.

What EECP does?

EECP increases blood flow:
To heart by 20-42%
To brain by 22-26%
To kidneys by 19%
EECP also increases heart’s output (stroke volume) by 12% by reducing after load. This improves LVEF.
How long does EECP take?

The standard course of treatment is one hour per day. Five days per week, for seven weeks (a total of 35 one-hour sessions). Some patients have two treatments in one day in order to complete the program more quickly. Some patients extend the program beyond 35 treatments, depending on their particular medical situation and goals.
Are there any risks or side effects of EECP?

EECP is safe. Occassionally, some patients experience mild skin irritation under the areas of the blood cuffs. Experienced EECP therapists address this irritation by using extra padding to make the patient comfortable. Some patients experience a bit more fatigue at the beginning of their course of treatment, but it usually subsides after the firtst few sessions. In fact, patients typically feel energized by EECP.
How does EECP increase the blood flow?

Dilating blood vessels – Small blood vessels enlarge. Opening dormant blood vessels lying closed since birth. Angiogenesis – forming new blood vessels (Collaterals).

Other matters related to EECP would contine in the next three issues.