Know everything about EECP Treatment – The Best Alternative to bypass surgery

EECP shortened for Enhanced External Counterpulsation Treatment is a safe, non-invasive treatment option that is highly effective for patients having persistent angina problems. It is a mechanical procedure that involves an inflatable cuff wrapped around the legs of the patient.

So, as the patient rests on the bed, the cuff is inflated and deflated, sync-wise matching the heartbeat. The synchronization is made with the help of a computer that follows the patient’s electrocardiogram or ECG.

As a result, it triggers inflation early when the heart relaxes and gets filled with blood and deflation when heart contraction begins. The process works effectively to cure chronic angina cases.
However, the problem often arises because of severe restrictions in blood flow to the heart. But, to understand that how EECP help angina patient, it is essential to understand what is Angina.

Features of EECP/ECP Treatment

👉 No Pain
👉 No-Risk
👉 No Hospitalization
👉 No Surgery / No Stents
👉 No Side Effects
👉 Less Medicine
👉 Less Expense

Benefits of EECP/ECP Treatment:

👉 Creates new blood vessels (Collaterals)
👉 Increase Cardiac Output
👉 Decreases angina (Chest Pain)
👉 Reduce the use of medication
👉 Enhances blood circulation
👉 Improves organ function
👉 Improves quality of life

Who Can Get EECP/ECP Treatment:

👉 Patients with severe chest pain
👉 Patients who suffer from Coronary Arteries Diseases
👉 Patients with chest pain despite medication and Surgeries
👉 Patients not eligible for heart surgeries
👉 Patients with blocks in the heart, nerve disorders
👉 chronic kidney failure, diabetes, and hypertension

Know about angina problem

In Angina disorder, the patient feels unusual pain and sensation in the chest that usually arises due to coronary artery disease. The sensation can also spread through the chest to the shoulders and even back. As a result, the patient goes through tightness, pain, pressure, and squeezing amongst several symptoms.

It is common for patients to confuse Angina with a heart attack; thus, they go to the ER to diagnose the problem. Although Angina can be the sign of heart problem, persistent Angina issue mainly develops due to reduced blood flow to the heart.

You may require EECP when the Angina turns chronic. This is when there is shortness of breath, and other symptoms are visibly developed from restricted blood flow to the heart. Also,

EECP can help those who have not benefited from conservative treatments, including medications and lifestyle changes.

Who is the candidate for EECP?

Enhanced External Counterpulsation Therapy is an effective and non-invasive treatment option for many patients with different medical conditions. Firstly, patients with documented coronary artery disease (CAD) with chronic symptoms upon physical exertion are potential candidates for EECP. The symptoms mainly include:

• Dizziness
• Chest Pain
• Shortness of Breadth
• Fatigue
• Heart Palpitation

This is because EECP assists the heart in re-establishing or recovering the flow of oxygen via blood to the parts where there is a lack of blood flow. In fact, the patients see instant improvement after going through EECP. Only after few treatment sessions do the symptoms reduce drastically.

In addition, you can also benefit from EECP if you have not received much relief from Angina even after taking nitrates. Also, if you do not qualify for invasive procedures like stenting, angioplasty, or bypass surgery, you can try EECP.

Does EECP really work?

The studies show the improvement in symptoms that persisted up to five years of going through EECP treatment. However, one out of five patients may require another session of EECP to maintain their rate of improvement.

But, for those curious to know how EECP works, even though the mechanism behind the benefits of EECP is still unknown, there is evidence that explains the process. It suggests that EECP help induce the emergence of collateral vessels in the Coronary artery tree. The process takes place because of the stimulation of nitric oxide and other factors inside the coronary arteries.

What happens during the process of EECP treatment?

The patient first lies comfortably on the bed, and then electrodes are fixed on the chest to keep a check of the vitals during the process. In addition, the doctors also monitor the rate of your blood pressure on a real-time basis. So, one can say it is an entirely supervised and monitored procedure carried by a specially trained team of staff only.

Next, the staff will wrap around a set of cuffs around your thighs, calves, and buttocks. Additionally, these cuffs are fixed to the air hoses joining the valve that deflate and inflate the cuffs.

When the cuff inflates, the patients experience a feeling of strong hug coming from the calves to thighs and buttocks. Following it is a sensation of rapid release of pressure which induces by deflation. The synchronization of inflation and deflation takes place electronically to match the heartbeat and blood pressure as recorded by the blood pressure and ECG monitors.

So, for those people wondering if the procedure is painful, it is not at all painful. Instead, the process creates a hugging or squeezing feeling. The patients have to go through this treatment five days a week for seven weeks. After going through the treatment, some patients notice a dramatic improvement in only a few sessions. Moreover, their ability to perform tasks also increases up to many folds.

The workings of EECP

Enhanced External Counterpulsation Treatment helps compress the blood vessel present in the lower limbs gently but firmly to increase blood flow to the heart. Each wave induced by the electronic device is timed according to the heartbeat. It is necessary so that the blood reaches the heart at the right time when it is relaxing. Moreover, again when the heart pumps the blood, the pressure gets released immediately. As a result, the resistance pressure in your legs’ blood vessels lowers so the blood pumper can easily reach the heart.

Furthermore, EECP also encourages your blood vessels to extend to small channels that turn themselves into extra branches of the body. These branches or channels eventually emerge as natural bypass, enabling smooth blood flow into the heart muscle. Thus, the patients experience relief from Angina symptoms.

Can EECP treatment be harmful?

As we discussed earlier, the process of EECP can be unusual but not painful. In fact, according to studies, the patients who have gone through EECP have tolerated the treatment exceptionally well. So, based on the findings, EECP is not harmful and should be considered by anybody suffering from Angina even after going through maximal medical therapy. Moreover, those patients should also try EECP who are not a good fit for stents or bypass surgery.

No Pain, No Stunt, No Bypass, No Hospitalization, and Non-Invasive EECP is the best alternative treatment for heart patients.

Medicare also has approved treatment of EECP for Angina patients who have exhausted every option they could take. In 2014, several Medicare organizations also agreed on a focused update that patients should try EECP when they cannot choose any other treatment. These organizations include:

• Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
• American Association for Thoracic Surgery
• Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
• American Heart Association
• The American College of Cardiology

Why is EECP treatment not used more often?

Many cardiologists at large choose to ignore such an unusual form of therapy. Others fail to consider EECP a therapeutic option as they are still unavailable in many parts. On the contrary, most angina patients have not heard of Enhanced External Counterpulsation Treatment altogether.

It is obviously unfortunate as it seems to be a marvelous option for patients with persistent Angina to go through this non-invasive therapy. In fact, the patient should try the treatment option even before going through invasive therapy like bypass surgery, stents, or other options. It is because of reasons like:

• When a non-invasive treatment exists, why go for invasive ones
• It is well-tolerated and safe for patients
• There is strong evidence supporting the point that the treatment is highly effective on Angina patients
• Patients treated from the procedure also say that after EECP, their symptoms have reduced substantially.

How often do patients need to go for EECP treatment?

Patients who are eligible for the treatment must carry 35 hours of EECP treatment. The therapy is administered one or two hours a day, five times a week, and for 7 weeks. The studies showing the outcomes of the treatment carried at various medical centers have demonstrated many benefits for patients like:

• Ability to return to their fun and joyous schedule
• Reduced need for antianginal medications
• Decrease in pain, pressure, and other symptoms of Angina
• Improved ability to carry activity without symptoms

EECP for Non-cardiac diseases

Apart from heart diseases, there are also conditions in which EECP can help patients. These include:

Cardiac Syndrome

Cardiac Syndrome is atypical chest pain with documented ischemia and electrocardiographic changes. Some women with normal coronaries extend to feel atypical chest pain even after going through anti-ischemic therapy.

In such conditions, the reports have shown some positive results in patients with medically refractory Angina. It arises due to enlarging epicardial vessel disorder. Also, it is common in patients with microvascular coronary artery disease.

Restless leg syndrome

Patients with severe restless leg syndrome have also undergone EECP treatment for cognitive heart failure or Angina as their main indication. After the treatment, they noticed a significant relief in the syndrome. So, it can be considered the adjunct treatment option for RLS patients.

EECP Treatment In Chandigarh

It is a fast-growing treatment option that doctors are adopting rapidly because of the result that it delivers. This is why we at HealthFinder, helping you to get EECP treatment in Chandigarh at the best price with best-in-class services. So, if you are interested in trying the non-invasive treatment, contact our professionals today! It is the best alternative treatment to bypass surgery for heart patients.