EECP Services

EECP or Enhanced external Counter pulsation is a clinically proven, time tested, US FDA approved. Innovative non surgical therapy for Coronary Artery Diseases

EECP provides an opportunity to Treat and improve the quality of life for angina (Heart pain) and congestive heart failure patients who are non responding to medications or who are unfit, high risk for surgical treatment or unwilling to do any operative procedures. EECP therapy works to improve circulation to the heart muscle, increasing oxygen rich blood flow to the heart with reducing the heart’s workload. EECP therapy can help to build new pathways around blocked arteries in the heart by expanding networks of tiny collateral blood vessels that facilitate blood flow to the heart muscle.

EECP treatment is a simple & comfortable procedure. The patient relaxes on a comfortable bed while a trained nurse or therapist wraps the muscular areas of the patient’s calves, thigh & buttocks with pneumatic cuffs, similar to blood pressure cuffs. Hoses connect the cuffs to all air pressure/vacuam pump enclosed within the bed base. The patient will feel the sensation of a strong pressure moving upward from the calves to the thighs to the buttock as the cuffs inflate and deflate. Each cycle is electronically synchronized with individual heart beats. The patient can relax and talk to visitors, watch TV or video, Listen to music, or ever take a nap during the hour-long procedure.

A computer interprets the patients ECG and provides timing signals that control the sequential inflation and deflation of pressure cuffs wrapped around the patients calves, thighs and buttocks. Each inflation cycle is timed to start and end during the resting phase of the patient’s heartbeat (diastole). As diastole begins, the cuffs inflate rapidly and sequentially from the calves to the buttocks, firmly compressing the patient’s vasculature. This has two immediate effects: firstly, a strong retrograde “counter pulsation” occurs in the arterial system, forcing fresh oxygenated blood back towards the heart and coronary arteries, and secondly, an increased volume of venous blood is returned to the heart under increased pressure. The combined effect of these two events is to increase the oxygen supply and perfusion pressure in the myocardium (Heart muscle) and a increase “pre-load” so that heart has a greater volume of blood to pump during the next systolic event. Next, as the patient’s heart nears the end of diastole and prepares for systole (ventricular contraction), the computer instructs the deflation valves to open so a vacuam can deflate the cuffs instantly. This action also provides therapeutic advantages by reducing the heart’s after-load. Since the vascular beds in the lower extremities are essentially empty, the resistance to blood flow is markedly reduced, thereby decreasing the amount of work that the heart must do to pump blood to these areas (reducing oxygen demand within the myocardium). As a result of these diastolic augmentation activities, the patient’s peak diastolic pressure is significantly increased, benefiting circulating in the heart muscle and in other organs as well. At the same time, the patients systolic pressure is reduced, to the general benefit of the vascular system. Clinical studies suggest that the increase in myocardial perfusion pressure stimulates the use of collateral vessels that are already present, but unused, there by allowing oxygenated blood to bypass ischemic areas in the heart.

Patient who may benefit from EECP Therapy :(Coronary Artery Diseases pt-CAD)

1. Patient who has block in Heart arteries but unsuitable for Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery.

2. Are considered inoperable or at high risk of operative/interventional complications.

3. Have associated diseases that increase the risk of operation eg. Diabetes, Heart failure, Lung disease, Kidney failure or previous Brain stroke etc.

4. Have Heart power less than 35% for previous Heart attack.

5. Are unwilling to undergo any invasive revascularization procedure.

6. Already done Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery but-again suffers from Heart pain (Angina).

Most patients report that after the full course of treatment the angina symptoms are reduced or eliminated and they have a great tolerance for exercise. Their social activities are no longer restricted and their dependence on anti-angina medications is lessened or eliminated. In addition to the subjective benefits of a more active lifestyle, EECP has been shown to provide long-term relief from angina symptoms. Although it is difficult to foresee how long the effects of EECP will last in an individual patient, studies show that the majority of patients sustain their EECP benefits for as long as 5-6 years.

EECP therapy provides benefits that a physician can use to determine the effectiveness of treatment. Benefits are easily measured by response to exercise stress testing and radionuclide imaging. (For example, Thallium 201 imaging can clearly depict the increase in perfusion to previously ischemic areas of the heart.

A-prescription for EECP treatment normally specifies a total of 35 hours of therapy, administered for one hour per day, 6 days a week. Although most patients begin to experience relief from their angina symptoms after 12-13 hours of treatment, some patients may require additional weeks of treatment before the angina symptoms are resolved.

Because EECP is totally non-invasive and non-pharmacological, the risks associated with the treatment are extremely low. The most commonly reported side effects are skin irritation or temporary muscle aches, resulting from the inflating and deflating action of the pressure cuffs. EECP has got approval from US FDA for the treatment of Angina in 1998 & for heart failure in 2002. The treatment is going on about 800 hospital in USA. 500 Hospital in Europe & about 150 hospitals in India. Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital introduced first time in Bangladesh this new and innovative treatment since July 2009, under direct supervision of eminent Cardiologist Dr. M.A. Baqui. By this time we have successfully completed about 700 patients including 100 female pt, about 90% pt feels comfortable after completion of this therapy. Some of the patient’s response are really rewarding.