A new non-invasive treatment for angina is now available at Cardiovascular Associates.  External Counterpulsation (ECP) uses sequential compression of the lower extremities of the body to stimulate the formation of blood vessels in the heart.  

ECP therapy has proven to be useful in the treatment of chronic (stable) angina.  Patients who undergo ECP report fewer angina attacks and the ability to resume physical activity.  Published studies have demonstrated relief from angina pain and improvement in the oxygen-deprived areas of the heart in approximately 78% of stable angina patients.

The treatment uses fabric cuffs containing inflatable plastic bladders fastened with Velcro (R) around the patient's calves, thighs and buttocks.

The cuffs are sequentially air inflated (first the calves, then the thighs and finally the buttocks) during diastole, when the heart is momentarily at rest between beats.  Compression of the cuffs during diastole forces blood from the legs and buttocks up to the heart, reducing the work effort of the heart and increasing the flow of blood through the coronary arteries to the heart muscle.  

ESP therapy is done on an outpatient basis and generally feels like a vigorous massage.  Repetitive treatments for one hour per day over a period of 35 days is thought to release naturally occurring growth factors, causing new blood vessels to grow around the blockages in the patient's arteries.

Your physician can evaluate your condition to determine if you are a candidate for ECP.

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