UNDERSTANDING Enhanced External Counter pulsation (EECP)Treating Patient with Coronary artery blockage has revolutionized fromsimple drug treatment to complex angioplasty, stenting procedure andmajor surgical procedures like Coronary artery Bypass surgery. Allthese treatments have improved patients quality of life to a greatextend.

The search for a treatment purely non-invasive but have thebenefit of both drug treatment and surgical procedure but safe even inhigh risk patients leads to EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation.) The world first truly non-Invasive treatment approved byUSA FDA forThe treatment for Chest pain and heart with poor pumping action.EECP is a micro-processor control system. During the procedure, thepatients lie down on a padded table in the treatment room. Three setsof rubber cuffs about 4 inches wide, are tied around three points ofthe body-the calves thighs and the hips. These connect to air hoses,which in turn are connected to valves.

When the heart contracts it supplies blood to all the organs when itrelaxes it gets its own blood supply from the coronary artery. So whenthe heart contracts the cuffs are deflated and when it relaxes thecuffs are inflated with a predetermined amount of pressure, whichpushes the blood from the lower extremities, a timed, sequentialmanner, toward the heart. Normally a patient has to undergo theprocedure several times, usually through 35 one hour outpatientsession, six times a week, for six weeks eventually the minute bloodvessels or the dormant collaterals, open up and that portion of theheart which has been starved of blood because of a blocked artery ofarteries, starts receiving blood all over again.• EECP where compare with interventional procedure is very uniquebecause its mode of action is on the smaller vessels in the heart,which are too small for bypass surgery or angioplasty.

The treatmentworks in different area of the blood circulation where Bypass surgeryand Angioplasty cannot access. This suits well for Indian patients whotraditionally have diabetes, smaller and diffusely diseased vesseldifficult to bypass or angioplasty.The treatment including heart also improve the blood flow to all majororgans in the body which greatly improves the patients overall abilityto participate in all activities without getting tired.When I discuss with my patients regarding EECP most of them are quiteexcited to know that a new treatment other than Angioplasty, stents orbypass is now available which can reduce or end their chest pain. Dr.Ayaz Akbar MD AM(Italy)DAC,MACCGC.O.T(Canada)Consultant – Preventive Cardiologist, Chelation & Bio Oxidative Therapis.

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