EECP - The Angina and Heart Failure Solution
The Department of Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation is happy to announce a solution for the thousands of people who suffer needlessly from chest pain (angina) after having undergone a bypass surgery or angioplasty. Many also suffer from excessive fatigue due to poor cardiac function. (heart failure) Although there exists drug therapy for both, at times even that is inadequate. The Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP) program is a unique cutting edge therapy to improve exercise capacity, reduce chest pain and lower the risks of living with heart disease and heart failure.
Enhanced External Counter Pulsation is a proven therapy which has been shown to improve cardiac blood flow and lower the risk of hospitalizations and mortality in patients suffering from persistent angina and heart failure.
EECP has been FDA approved for the treatment of chronic angina and heart failure. The treatment involves lying down on a special treatment bed and wrapping the legs in special air-filled cuffs. The cuffs are sequentially inflated and deflated as per the patient's ECG so that blood is pumped back to the heart and into the coronary arteries. This treatment has been shown to be very effective in reducing anginal and heart failure symptoms in patients suffering from heart disease in several studies conducted around the world. We have seen similar results using this therapy at our institute as well.
For more information please feel free to contact the Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Asian Heart Institute on 022-66986665.
Pictures showing the difference in cardiac blood supply before and after EECP on a thallium scan. Note the greater volume of white areas showing improved blood supply.
Before EECP
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After EECP
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| EECP can also be considered first-line therapy in patients who are high risk candidates for bypass surgery or angioplasty. |
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