Delta Regional Medical Center

EECP

Heart And Vascular Center > EECP

Angina is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort due to coronary artery disease. It occurs when the heart muscle does not get as much blood as it needs, usually because one or more blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are narrowed or blocked.

Now, Delta Regional Medical Center offers a non-invasive treatment for angina called Enhanced External Counterpulsation therapy, or EECP. EECP uses a series of blood pressure cuffs on the legs, thigh, and buttocks that pulsate in a sequence that forces circulation of the blood throughout the body and to the heart. It is especially effective for patients who have small vessel disease of the heart. Treatment is generally administered for one hour per day, five days a week, for seven weeks for a total of 35 hours.

Studies over the past several years have shown that about 75% of patients treated with a single course of EECP experience a reduction in angina and are able to return to a more active lifestyle.

• Increased blood flow throughout the body




• Development of new blood vessels to bypass the blocked vessels




• Reduced pain from angina




• Decreased need for nitroglycerin

Patients who suffer angina and are interested in learning if they could benefit from EECP therapy should talk to their family physician or cardiologist. EECP is a service of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Delta Regional Medical Center.