What Is EECP / ECP Treatment ?
The EECP / ECP therapy for coronary artery disease is non-invasive. For patients with chest pain, heart failure and congestive heart failure, EECP / ECP is the first non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical or mechanical procedure approved by the US FDA. Essentially, EECP / ECP is a cardiac procedure without the side effects of heart surgery. It helps to improve blood flow in the body, with effects that appear to stay together for years. By establishing collateral circulation around blocked arteries, EECP / ECP therapy works, i.e. it basically works to create a “natural bypass” around the arteries.
What Do EECP / ECP Sessions Involve?
The patient lies on a padded table in an EECP / ECP session. Three large inflatable cuffs are strapped around the ankles, lower thighs and upper thighs, similar to blood pressure cuffs. The heart of the patient is controlled by an electrocardiograph display on the EECP / ECP unit, which monitors the inflation and deflation of the cuffs via the screen. The cuffs are rapidly inflated in sequential order during the portion of the cardiac cycle where the heart is resting (diastole), starting with the cuffs on the calves and working upwards. The cuffs are simultaneously deflated just before systolic (heart contraction).
EECP / ECP typically requires 35 therapy sessions. Each session is for 1 hour, and 6 days a week for 6 weeks, the patient is usually invited to come. Nonetheless, the whole team at IPC is very well educated in how to make improvements in the protocol, where appropriate, to manage challenging situations. Thus, at IPC, EECP / ECP is very secure and applicable even in most cases which can not be handled by other EECP centres. IPC takes every attempt to ensure the patient and his / her body are relaxed.
How Does EECP / ECP Work?
In a nutshell, EECP / ECP allows the blood supply of the heart to increase instantly and sustainably by:
- Coronary blood vessels dilating
- Dormant collateral opening
- Creating new (angiogenesis) blood vessels.
Treatment with ECP / EECP helps shape a network of tiny blood vessels that allow blood to divert around blocked or narrowed arteries. This is regarded as “collateral circulation”. Currently, collateral circulation is a natural process that can also be produced by cardiovascular exercise. However, a slow phase that takes years is the normal creation of collateral circulation. This collateral circulation is activated and intensified by EECP / ECP treatment and makes it permanent. In reality, 35 EECP / ECP sessions have been shown to have the same impact as 5 years of physical training! However this doesnt remove the need of regular exercise which has its own proven benefits.
High pressure is exerted on the open coronary arteries due to increased blood flow and pressure during EECP / ECP and lower pressure in the closed arteries. Thus, by opening the collateral, the blood makes its way to the low pressure zone or region, which has a decreased blood supply. Ultimately, such collateral becomes permanent with continuous daily 35 sessions
EECP / ECP also helps to boost the role of the endothelial cells (the cells that line the coronary arteries) that assess the risk of heart attacks.
EECP / ECP enhances blood flow to the heart muscles that do not receive adequate blood supply. The EECP / ECP is therefore working to establish a “natural bypass.”
Please note that while EECP / ECP, by developing collateral circulation, increases the blood flow to the heart muscles, it does not eliminate blockages. This is much like bypass surgery, which is a mechanical procedure that, by sewing the grafts, circumvents the blocks, but does not remove the blocks.
Is EECP Heart Treatment Different from ECP Heart Treatment?
EECP stands for External Counter-Pulsation Enhanced. Indeed, EECP is different from ECP (External Counter Pulsation), since ECP lacks the graduated timing mechanism that defines the inflation and deflation of the cuff and the EECP machine ‘s specific cuff design, both specifically built to optimise augmentation, which is a very important component of the procedure. EECP is a registered trademark of Vasomedical, Inc., the largest EECP / ECP equipment manufacturer in the United States.
The EECP / ECP devices of IPC (Institute of Preventive Cardiology) Heart Treatment are imported from VasoMeditech, USA, and IPC works with the organisation in technical collaboration with Vasomeditech.
What Are the Benefits of EECP / ECP Treatment?
The International Registry of EECP / ECP Patients has evidence to support the following advantages of ECP / EECP care, in addition to enhancing collateral circulation and providing a natural bypass:
- Decreased Angina episodes
- Decreased nitroglycerine use
- 85 % rise in the classification of angina according to class 1
- 55 % rise in the classification of angina relative to class 2
- Improvement of time for fitness
- Increased overall quality of life, mood and sense of well-being
Positive vascular benefits – Increase in ANG II, NO, ANP, BNP, ejection fraction, and cardiac output; decrease in heart rate; decrease in blood vessel constricting protein (Endothelin).
Thallium stress scans indicate an increase in the supply of blood. Other EECP / ECP advantages include lowering serum cholesterol levels, lowering serum blood sugar, lowering blood pressure in patients with hypertension, etc.
A research performed by the International EECP / ECP Registry of 5022 patients in 92 centres showed 5-year survival rates of:
- 88% for EECP / ECP patients,
- 78 % for Heart Drug Patients only,
- 86-89 % for Bypass or Angioplasty patients.
We want you to apply your mind to these statistics to understand how you can benefit from the IPC Cardiac Rehabilitation Program that incorporates medicine, exercise , diet, yoga, and even Arterial Clearance Therapy (Chelation Therapy) or EECP / ECP therapy, if appropriate.
Why IPC for EECP / ECP Treatment?
Dr. Pratiksha Gandhi world renowned preventive cardiologist, was the first to implement EECP / ECP therapy in Maharshtra in 2004.
EECP / ECP treatment has a worldwide success rate of 85 percent and IPC has a 95 percent success rate. Its specific cardiac rehabilitation program, conducted for each patient along with EECP therapy, leads to this improved performance.
In setting up the Indian EECP / ECP Patients List, DrPratiksha was instrumental in forming the Expert EECP / ECP Committee for Western and Eastern India. For all ECP / EECP patient info, the Indian Registry makes it mandatory to be registered with them.
Every EECP / ECP patient is also registered with the International Registry through IPC. This ensures that the best doctors across the globe track all the medical information, care and progress of any patient. The IPC complies with strict international directives.
IPC Heart Care has a unique on-line monitoring system through which DrPratiksha and her team of doctors can track the readings of each patient from anywhere, even when an EECP / ECP session is in progress.
With its holistic Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, IPC pairs ECP / EECP therapy. Other therapies such as ACT (Arterial Clearance Therapy) along with EECP / ECP can also be provided if medical tests are regular. It not only offers EECP / ECP as other EECP / ECP treatment centres in India could provide, but also provides a comprehensive programme of cardiac rehabilitation customised for each patient. This involves yoga and meditation, meal preparation and nutritional therapy, stress management, etc.
IPC conducts extensive patient selection screening. There are some patients who are unable to administer EECP / ECP (e.g. for valve leaks, etc.) and there are some for whom it is not specified-for such patients, IPC does not conduct EECP / ECP. The EECP / ECP patients of the IPC typically include: those who do not want to undergo bypass surgery; those who are unable to afford bypass surgery; those who are not operable because they are very poor or high-risk due to complications; those who have already undergone bypass surgery have not benefited and are searching for an alternative to bypass.
The equipment of the IPC Heart Care Center are all scientifically validated, evidence-based therapeutic programs documenting the efficacy and protection of ECP / EECP ® in the treatment of coronary heart disease patients with:
- More than 150 papers published in medical journals have been renounced in the world
- 4 prospective, randomized, controlled trials for the treatment of patients with angina and heart failure
- 2 International patient registries with more than 8,000 patients tracking adverse conditions and clinical outcomes
- Clinical trials that show long-term effects of follow-up of up to 5 years
- Many other studies analyzing the mechanisms of action of EECP / ECP ® therapy
How Many EECP / ECP Center Are There in India?
In India today , there are approximately 70 ECP centres. IPC, about 6 years ago, was the first EECP centre to be set up in Maharashtra. IPC has more clinics in India with ECP / EECP than any other centre. Some major hospitals have begun providing EECP care only recently. IPC Heart Care, however, handles the greatest number of cases each year, and has handled more cases than any other centre in the nation. With a 95 percent performance rate, you can be confident that the productive employees of IPC are geared up to give you quality care.
EECP / ECP Centers of IPC in India / EECP / ECP Locations of IPC
Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP) Therapy in Mumbai
IPC has several branches in Mumbai with EECP / ECP centres, you can book your appoinitment and visit our Centers and we are also looking to set up branches elsewhere.
Who Can Benefit from EECP / ECP Treatment?
- People with chronic Pectoris angina (chest pain)
- Heart failure and congestive heart failure patients
- Patients who have undergone a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or cardiogenic shock
- Atherosclerosis patients (plaque in the arteries / blocked arteries)
- Patients who are not operable because they are too frail to undergo bypass surgery or angioplasty or have too many complications and are searching for an alternative to heart surgery
- Patients who are unable to afford surgery for bypass or angioplasty
- Patients who are searching for a natural alternative to bypass surgery or an alternative to angioplasty because these procedures have already been done and their conditions have recurred in the past.
The EECP / ECP is also useful for patients with:
- Diabetic patients with a low circulation of the blood
- Renal Hypertension
- Arteriosclerosis of the brain / Thrombosis/embolism
- Chronic Syndrome of Exhaustion (tiredness)
Is the Cost of EECP / ECP Covered By Medical Insurance?
Although EECP / ECP expenses are covered by medical insurance in the United States , the United Kingdom and a number of other countries, they are not covered in India. Even then, the expense of ECP / EECP treatment is very manageable as compared to the cost of heart surgery. We encourage individuals, however, to set aside reservations about compensation and get the care that is right for them. In order to try to subsidize the cost of your EECP / ECP care, there are many generous donors who we can contact and have also provided subsidized EECP / ECP care to many in the past.
If you want to be a donor to someone’s EECP / ECP therapy, please contact us. We’re going to be deeply thankful.
Preparations Before the Treatment
EECP / ECP is a discreet, non-invasive, out-patient therapy. But you do not have to limit any of your regular operations. The time for your 1-hour appointment may be arranged according to your convenience. Our physicians will give you directions before you start the procedure.
You will be required to obey these general guidelines, in addition to guidelines that may be unique to your case:
- Wear elastic tight-fitting pants. This is in order to reduce inflammation or abrasion of the skin.
- Avoid eating food for 2 hours prior to your appointment.
- Before beginning the session, empty your urinary bladder.
- Avoid taking it before care if you are taking some diuretic drugs.
- As prescribed by your physician, proceed with your daily prescription.
Advantages of EECP / ECP over Surgery:
- Non-invasive counseling
- No requirement for hospitalization carried out on an out-patient basis
- Low Risks
- No requirement for extra medication
- No recovery time
- No adverse side effects
- Increased exercise tolerance, stamina, and freedom from chest pain have been documented by patients after EECP / ECP treatment
- No Surgery Risks
IPC Heart Care’s EECP / ECP Technology Approvals include:
FDA Approval for use in treatment of patients with congestive heart failure, stable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock
- CE MARK approved
- ELT listed
- ISO 9001 certified
