TREATMENT
ARIZONA HEART INSTITUTE
External CounterPulsation (ECP)
A new non-invasive treatment for angina is now available at the Arizona Heart Institute's Peoria and Main (Phoenix) clinics. External CounterPulsation (ECP) uses sequential compression of the lower extremities of the body to stimulate the formation of blood vessels in the heart. ECP therapy has proven to be useful in the treatment of chronic (stable) chest pain and was recently approved as a therapy for CHF.
ECP uses fabric cuffs fastened with Velcro around the patient's lower body. The cuffs contain inflatable plastic bladders which are sequentially filled with air (first the calves, then the thighs and buttocks) during diastole, when the heart is momentarily at rest between beats. Compression of the cuffs during diastole forces blood from the legs and buttocks up to the heart, reducing the work effort of the heart and increasing the flow of blood through the coronary arteries to the heart muscle.
ECP therapy does not require any type of anesthesia and generally feels like a vigorous massage. Repetitive treatments for one hour a day over a period of 35 days are thought to release naturally occurring growth factors, causing new blood vessels to grow around the blockages in the patient's arteries.
Patients who undergo ECP report fewer angina attacks and the ability to resume physical activity. Published studies have demonstrated relief from angina pain and improvement in the oxygen-deprived areas of the heart in approximately 78 percent of stable angina patients.
ECP therapy is now FDA-approved for the treatment of CHF. A diagnosis of CHF indicates that the heart cannot pump an adequate amount of blood throughout the body, causing shortness of breath and fatigue. CHF affects over 5 million Americans, with 500,000 new patients being diagnosed every year.
Your physician can evaluate your condition and determine if you're a candidate for ECP. For a free brochure on ECP therapy, click here or call the Arizona Heart Institute at 1-800-345-4278.
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The information presented in this site should not replace the medical advice of your physician. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any disease without first consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider.
