ECPTherapy.com

ECP & EECP Therapy | External Counterpulsation Therapy

Patients for ECP and EECP Therapy

External Counterpulsation Therapy (or commonly referred to as EECP or ECP Therapy) has proven to be an effective, non-invasive (non-surgical) treatment option for patients with a variety of medical conditions. In the U.S.,

Potential EECP and ECP Patients are those with documented Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) that are comfortable at rest, but with varying degree of physical activity the patients can experience symptoms of:

  • Chest Pain
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Dizziness
  • Chronic Fatigue (common with women’s heart disease or small vessel disease)
  • Palpitations – suggestive of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) or other Autonomic Dysfunction

External Counterpulsation Therapy is proven to deliver the aerobic exercise and peripheral benefits of intense exercise. If your physician is emphasizing the importance of exercise,  then ECP Therapy may be a good option for you. A strong heart will consistently deliver oxygenated blood to each of the vital organs in your body including your brain, kidneys, liver, lungs, eyes and all of your extremities (hands, feet, brain). ECP & EECP Therapy is a low risk, low stress treatment that provides all of the benefits and bi-products of exercise without any risk or effort!

In addition to the current clinical application for Angina & coronary disease, ECP has also demonstrated clinical benefit in other areas. Some of them include:

  • Exercise replacement / Wellness therapy – this is good for all population but particularly useful for those with bad backs, hips, knees etc. Great source for weekly exercise (3 days per week @ 25 minutes per session) Click to view – ECP Equivalent to exercise
  • Erectile Dysfunction – for ED, we suggest 20 sessions at 30 minutes each
  • Cerebral disorders – dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, depression etc
  • Peripheral vascular disease – symptoms improve with improvement in micro vascular perfusion & improved endothelial function
  • Parkinson’s disease (not sure how, but motor skills improve, and less medication is needed)
  • Recovery from intense athletic training – common use with ECP as the squeeze mechanism help remove lactic acid in the extremities. ECP has proven to not only improve the recovery time but enhance the quality of the recovery.
  • Improve circulation – great option for patients concerned about lack of circulation. The concept is easy for patients to understand that ECP augments the body’s natural healing process.
  • Heart Failure – increase in perfusion improves contractility & VO2 max
  • Inflammatory Disorders – Since ECP has proven to reduce inflammation in the body, there is evidence that it can help for a wide array of inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of chronic pain.
  • Neuropathy – ECP restores flow to all parts of the body including the peripheral neuropathic systems. We have seen improvement in peripheral neuropathy (and other forms of autonomic neuropathies) with the mechanical restoration of oxygenated blood flow.
  • Improve Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes – There are multiple studies that show ECP helps improve absorption of glucose & insulin resistance. Also, ECP improves microvascular function, reduces inflammation with are key components to slowing the progression or prolonging complications associated with diabetes.
  • Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – The mechanism of delivering oxygenated blood flow to the coronary arteries has shown to improve symptoms of POTS by stimulating activity & restoring cardiac autonomic regulation via the autonomic nervous system.
  • Aerobic / endurance training for athletes – improve peak endurance training for cyclists, triathletes, MMA etc. Also great for recovery from intense training as well as expediting recovery time for injuries. Click – ECP Equivalent to exercise (improve Aerobic capacity / improves exercise tolerance)
  • Covid-19 (click to view studies) – ECP has demonstrated stimulation of the Vagus Nerve to improve many of the long term affects from the Covid Virus – aka Long Covid

These are just some additional support information about the various applications for ECP Therapy. For more clinical support, visit https://ecptherapy.com/ecp-eecp-clinical-trials/ or visit the International Society of ECP Therapy at – http://www.ieecps.org/pdf/IEECPS_Bibliography_20170126.pdf

Contra-Indications for ECP & EECP™ Therapy

There are a few items that may potentially disqualify you from ECP Therapy.  The contra-indications for ECP Therapy include:

– Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (surgical size (surgical size AAA ≥ 5cm)
– Active Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis on any limb affected by treatment
– Aortic Insufficiency (moderate to severe A.I. may exacerbate regurgitation)
– Peripheral Vascular Disease involving occlusion of the ileofemoral artery
– Recent surgery or intervention within the last 8 weeks
– Presence of severe Peripheral Vascular (artery) Disease
– Severe congestive heart failure
– Anatomy prone to clotting
– Deep vein thrombosis
– Uncontrolled Atrial Fibrillation (heart rate >100 BPM)
– Uncontrolled arrhythmias
– Tachycardia or high heart rate above 110 BPM
– Uncontrolled Blood Pressure (Systolic ≥ 180, Diastolic ≥ 110)
– Patients undergoing anti-coagulation Therapy (Coumadin or Heparin) with PT>15
– Severe pulmonary disease (safety data on severe pulmonary HTN unavailable)
– Local infection or Vasculitis of the extremities
– Burn, wound or fracture on any limb subject to treatment
– Pregnancy

Click to Locate ECP Treatment Center Near You