Enhanced external counter pulsation (EECP) therapy which is approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for outpatients is recommended for treating the symptoms of angina, like chronic unstable angina or chest pain.
This therapy works by giving pressure on lower limbs and thus increasing blood flow in patients who are suffering from long term issues related to heart disease like chest pain and even feeling pressure on the heart.
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This therapy is recommended to the patients who are not responding well to the other treatments prescribed by the doctor.
It is specially recommended for the patients suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD) and also for those heart patients who due some other complicated health issues are not fit for surgery, and most importantly are required for restoration of blood flow.
About Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) Treatment
This EECP treatment is non-invasive, that is, it does not require any insertion of instruments inside the body.
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The inflatable cuffs are added to the lower limbs which are responsible for creating effective pressure for blood flow, due to which the heart pumps blood better and effectively and thereby the symptoms are released.
The treatment is given to patients for a minimum of 7 weeks to combat blood flow.Side effects are usually minor.
Your healthcare provider can help determine if you are eligible for EECP treatment. Before talking about EECP treatment, we should be aware of what angina is for which this treatment is aligned.
What is angina?
Angina is a sign of coronary heart disease, in which our heart does not get proper oxygen-rich blood, which might be due to narrowing of arteries in some situations or blocked arteries.
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In chronic stable angina, symptoms such as on-and-off chest pain or a patient might feel weak when he/she is performing some activities or is under some kind of stress.
The conditions under which EECP treatment is recommended by cardiologist to the heart patients:
- Chest pain.
- Cough.
- Fatigue.
- Shortness of breath, medically known as dyspnea
- Cardiac syndrome X, which is one of the types of angina
- Cerebrovascular disease.
- Heart failure.
- Kidney/renal failure.
- Left ventricular dysfunction
- Lung disease or pulmonary infection
- Peripheral artery disease or Peripheral vascular disease.
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It has to be noted down that EECP cannot treat unstable angina, commonly known as acute coronary syndrome, and the reason behind it is that this is a severe type of angina with more frequent and long term symptoms which occur suddenly even at the resting position.
EECP working
During this treatment, inflatable cuffs are wrapped around the lower limbs and then its working is synchronized with the working of the heart which is known as heart cycle.
These cuffs work as the catalyst to create sync with heartbeat and following rhythmic circulation.
After which, this method helps to increase the blood flow which therefore increases working of the heart for pumping blood across blood vessels reaching every organ of the body.
This novel treatment has gained popularity because it does not require any surgical procedure to be carried out with the body and also increases blood flow and also on the other side relieves symptoms of angina like chest discomfort, pain.
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It also helps in proper functioning of the overall cardiovascular system.
This therapy is highly recommended to the patients suffering from refractory angina and at the risk of heart failure.
Treatment of EECP
The EECP therapy is recommended to those for whom other treatments are not working well or for those physicians who don’t recommend surgery procedure. The EECP therapy includes following steps:
- Initial assessment which includes analysing proper medical history or current condition of the patient undergoing this treatment.
- Cuff application means cuffs are fastened across lower limbs firmly means across legs and buttocks.
- Heartbeat synchronization activity by sensors across the cuffs which inflate and deflate with sync as per heartbeat.
- Counter pulsation effect which occurs due to heartbeat synchronization pulsation which helps in improving blood circulation.
- Treatment session includes approx. 35 sessions of this synchronization which lasts for about an hour.
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Before proceeding for this session, the patient underwent physical examination and stress test also. Then, patients are asked to empty their bladders before proceeding with therapy and ECG patches are placed across the chest and also oxygen and pressure levels are checked.
This therapy is not recommended for patients who Have
- Heart valve disease
- Hypertension
- Irregular heartbeat
- Tachycardia
- Hemorrhage
- Congenital heart disease
- Blood clots
- Atrial fibrillation
- Aortic insufficiency
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
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Maintaining planned follow-up sessions allows the medical team to assess progress and, if necessary, alter strategy.
Patients who commit to diligent post-treatment care lengthen the lifespan of EECP’s good influence on cardiovascular well-being, improving their quality of life in the long run.
Individuals are often recommended to tell their healthcare practitioners about any drugs they are taking prior to getting EECP therapy.
Following certain instructions, such as avoiding big meals before sessions, also helps to the therapy’s overall success.
Regular follow-up sessions allow healthcare providers to monitor progress and make any required modifications to the treatment plan throughout post-care.
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This all-encompassing approach to pre- and post-care ensures that clients receive the best possible care throughout their EECP treatment journey.
EECP Treatment Cost
As it is true that this treatment cost varies depending upon location, hospital, physician and also the kind of disease the patient is suffering from.
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But as researched the cost averagely varies from Rs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh. For whole 7 weeks sessions. Each session varies for 1 hour.
The cost is very less as compared to other countries like the USA where treatment costs around USD 15,000.
