External Counterpulsation Therapy has proven to remarkable benefits to overall health in patients that complete a full 35 course session. ECP and EECP Therapy acts as an external cardiac assist process that mechanically inflates a series of cuffs timed on the patient’s heart rate to restore oxygenated blood flow to the heart and body.
Some of the specific Benefits of EECP include an increase in exercise tolerance, improvement in oxygen consumption and a reduction in symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease such as chest pain, shortness of breath & chronic fatigue. ECP Therapy is also proven to be a viable treatment for patients with forms of heart failure.
So if you are a provider of ECP or EECP Therapy, what tools do you have at your disposal to assess improvement of hemodynamic parameters of patients undergoing treatment?
Impedance Cardiography (ICG)
ICG is a diagnostic tool that measures 12 different parameter relating to Flow, Resistance, Contracility (strength) & Fluid content. ICG is not new technology as it has been used in practice for many years now in the U.S. ICG works by combining non invasive blood pressure, ECG as well as fluid content (retention) to derive these parameters.
ICG is particularly helpful in that it provides the clinician with a baseline measurement for patients with various forms of heart disease. The cardiac output parameters are useful for patients with low ejection fraction or low cardiac output. Many of the patients that undergo ECP Therapy have ventricular dysfunction making this a very useful tool.
Patients with heart failure can use ICG as a viable tool to assess cardiac performance as well as fluid status. This is particularly helpful to a clinician when titrating medications for optimal results.
For more information about the Benefits of External Counterpulsation Therapy (ECP and EECP Therapy) in conjunction with Impedance Cardiography, you email our staff at info@ExternalCounterpulsation.com
