What is EECP?
EECP is a non-invasive treatment for people suffering from angina and heart failure. It has been provided for over 20 years in China, Europe and America.
Many people suffer angina pain and breathlessness despite having undergone interventional procedures such as angioplasty or bypass or having tried many drug combinations. Previously they would have to endure sysmptoms as no alternative was available. With EECP we offer patients a treatment to reduce and/or diminish symptoms and to improve quality of life.
At Alexander House we have treated people for the last 5 years with great success and pride ourselves on our patient care pathway, individualised program and the ability to provide patient choice. Your treatment will be carried out by a Registered Nurse and overseen by a Consultant Cardiologist
What does it do?
- promotes the growth of smaller vessels around areas of the heart muscles lacking in oxygen (ischemia) and which are causing pain
- causes a large rise in chemicals required to 'open up' (dilate) the coronary circulation leading to an increase blood supply to the heart. This leads to a decrease in iscehemia and consequently a decrease in pain
- increases the pumping ability of the heart and the blood supply to the rest of the body
- increases the ability to exercise
- decreases shortness of breath
How does it work?
- the patient lies on a bed and large cuffs (similar to those used to take blood pressure) are strapped around the calves, thighs and buttocks
- electrodes are attached to the chest to measure the cardiac rhythm (ECG)
- the EECP therapist times inflation and deflation of the cuffs according to the resting phase of the heart rhythm
- each treatment session is for 60 minutes
- 35 sessions are given over a 5-7 week course
Who may benefit from this treatment?
- patients who do not respond to medical therapy and whose symptoms remain uncontrolled
- those who are unwilling to undergo other interventional procedures
- pateints who have other diseases such as diabetes, heart failure or pulmonary disease, that make them high risk for interventional procedures
- older patients who are deemed high risk for invasive intervention
- patients with microvascular angina (some of these may have been given the diagnosis of Syndrome X)
Patients experience increased exercise tolerance, decreased pain and breathlessness, decreased visits to hospitals and GPs and sometime a decrease in medication.
If you wish to find out more about EECP please contact our nurse Jacqui Fleming at Alexander House.
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