Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP/ECP) Treatment

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP/ECP) Treatment

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP/ECP) Treatment

EECP/ECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation) is a new, Medicare-approved, noninvasive, outpatient treatment for angina and coronary artery disease. When applied over a course of time, EECP/ECP reduces angina frequency, improves a person’s exercise capacity, and may even result in reduced need for medications. EECP is not a replacement for bypass surgery or angioplasty, but it is an alternative treatment for those patients who can no longer benefit from additional surgery or angioplasty, and for whom medical therapy has already been maximized.

Nearly everyone with coronary artery disease, angina, or congestive heart failure can benefit from EECP/ECP. It is particularly well-suited for people who:

• Have already had angioplasty, stents, or bypass surgery, but their heart disease symptoms have returned or persisted
• Are not candidates for surgery due to other medical conditions
• Do not want to undergo surgery
• Are diabetic
• Have small vessels (often women)
• Rely on medications or curtail their activities to avoid angina and other heart disease symptoms