Patients-Guide-To-EECP-Therapy

The Patient’s Guide To
EECP® Therapy
Information You Can Take To Heart.

Take heart. Take action.
1
Soran O. A New Treatment Modality in Heart Failure Enhanced External Counterpulsation
(EECP). Cardiology in Review. 2004 Jan-Feb;12(1):15-20.
2
IEPR (International EECP® Patient Registry), University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of
Public Health, Department ofEpidemiology (www.edc.gsph.pitt.edu/iepr/), data on file.
For people with angina or heart failure, even simple activities
— such as going to the mailbox or walking the dog — can be
challenging.
If you are one of these people, take heart. There is a non-
invasive treatment called EECP® Therapy that clinical
experience has shown to be safe and to have benefit for the
treatment of angina and heart failure.1
Approximately 80% of
patients who complete the 35-hour course of EECP ® Therapy
experience significant symptom relief that may last up to
three years.2
What is EECP®
Therapy?
EECP® Therapy is an
outpatient treatment for
angina and heart failure.
Treatments are usually given
for an hour each day, five
days a week, for a total of 35
hours.
During the treatment,
you lie on a comfortable
treatment table with large
blood pressure-like cuffs
wrapped around your legs
and buttocks. These cuffs inflate and deflate at specific times
between your heart beats. A continuous electrocardiogram
(ECG) is used to set the timing so the cuffs inflate while the
heart is at rest, when it normally gets its supply of blood and
oxygen. The cuffs deflate at the end of that rest period, just
before the next heart beat. The special sensor applied to your
finger checks the oxygen level in your blood and monitors the
pressure waves created by the cuff inflations and deflations.
How does EECP® Therapy relieve the
symptoms of angina and heart failure?
Angina is a signal from your heart muscle that it is not
receiving enough blood and oxygen because the arteries that
supply the heart muscle are blocked or narrowed. Angina,
often called“chest pain,”can also be pain down the left arm,
between the shoulder blades, or in the jaw.

Therapy that gets to the heart
of the problem.
Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle becomes so weak
it cannot pump enough blood to meet the demands of the
rest of the body. There are two types of heart failure. The most
common type is“ischemic.” The heart muscle is damaged by
a long-standing lack of sufficient blood and oxygen, or by a
heart attack. The other type is“non-ischemic”or“idiopathic.”
Some of the possible causes include a viral infection of the
heart muscle, disease of the heart valves, high blood pressure,
or the abuse of alcohol or drugs, or the cause may not be
known. Heart failure symptoms include having trouble
breathing and feeling very tired after even a small amount
of effort.
EECP® Therapy works by increasing the blood and oxygen
supply to the heart muscle and decreasing the amount of
work the heart has to do to pump blood to the rest of the
body. While the heart is at rest, the treatment cuffs inflate from
the calves to the thighs to the buttocks, increasing the blood
supply to the arteries feeding the heart muscle. Just before the
next heart beat, all the cuffs deflate at the same time, which
decreases the amount of work the heart has to do.
Tell your EECP® Therapist if:
feeling points of pressure or pain, or need to use the
rest room.
forgot to take any of your medicines.

EECP® Therapy: Simple, non-invasive,
effective.
Before beginning EECP® treatment your therapist will
ask you to empty your bladder and to change into the
special treatment pants. Next, your blood pressure, pulse,
breathing, and weight will be checked. Then, you will be
asked about any changes in your angina or your condition
since your last treatment. When you are lying comfortably
on the treatment table, your therapist will put three ECG
patches on your chest and wrap you snugly into the
treatment cuffs. The finger sensor is applied at
the start and again during the treatment hour so your
therapist can check the readings and make adjustments
that will give you the most effective treatment. As the
therapy begins, air fills the cuffs and the pressure will
squeeze your legs and buttocks. The cuffs will inflate and
deflate, gradually feeling tighter until the full treatment
pressure is reached. At this point, you’re free to listen to
music, watch TV, or take a nap for the rest of the hour.
It’s important to tell
your therapist if you are
experiencing angina, having
trouble breathing, feeling
points of pressure or pain, or
need to use the rest room. A
brief pause in the treatment to
make you more comfortable
will not decrease the benefits.
Are you a candidate for EECP® Therapy?
Your doctor will examine you and review your medical
history to determine if you are a candidate for EECP® Therapy.
You may be a candidate if:
You have angina and/or heart failure
Your heart medications no longer relieve your angina or
heart failure symptoms
You have had open-heart (bypass) surgery, a balloon
angioplasty or stent, or other invasive procedures, and
your symptoms have returned
You have been told you cannot have another bypass
surgery, balloon angioplasty or stent, or other invasive
procedures
You have chosen not to have any further surgery,
angioplasties or invasive procedures
You do not have any other medical conditions that may
prevent you from having EECP® Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the advantages of EECP® Therapy?
A: EECP® Therapy is not invasive, does not require a hospital stay, has no
recovery period, and allows you to return to your routine each day after
receiving treatment.
Q: What are the benefits of EECP® Therapy?
A: Most patients experience positive results, such as the following:
Having no angina or angina that is less frequent and less intense
Having more energy
Being able to take part in more activities of daily living with little or no
angina or heart failure symptoms
Enjoying a better quality of life
Having a more positive outlook
Q: Is EECP® treatment comfortable?
A: There is a feeling of pressure from the cuffs around your legs and buttocks.
Once you become accustomed to this pressure, the sessions usually pass
comfortably.
Q: How will I feel after the treatment?
A: EECP® Therapy is often described as being like“passive exercise,”so you may
feel tired after the first few days of treatment. This is normal, especially if you
haven’t been exercising. Usually, once this short“training period”is over, you will
begin to notice that you have more energy.
Q: When can I expect to feel improvement?
A: Each patient responds differently. Most patients report beginning to feel
better about halfway through the seven weeks.
Q: How long do the benefits of EECP® Therapy last after a course of treatment?
A: The International EECP® Patient Registry (IEPR) collects data on the safety,
effectiveness, and long-term benefits of EECP® Therapy. The IEPR data have
shown that benefits of EECP® Therapy can last up to three years after completing
the first course (35 hours) of treatment. Other smaller studies have shown the
benefits last up to five years in some patients.
Q: Can I have therapy more than once?
A: Yes. If your symptoms return, your doctor will decide if you need to repeat
your EECP® treatments.
Q: What if I miss an appointment?
A: Having your EECP® Therapy each day of the seven-week treatment course
is an important part of receiving the greatest benefit. Missed treatments are
usually made up so you receive all 35 hours.
Q: Can I exercise during the weeks I’m receiving EECP® Therapy?
A: Your doctor will discuss an exercise program, how and when you should
begin, and how much you should do. Exercising can help you keep the benefits
of your EECP® treatments.
Q: When can I resume sexual activity?
A: Like exercise, this is an important issue to discuss with your doctor.
Q: Can everyone have EECP® Therapy?
A: Your doctor knows your medical history and condition and will determine if
you can have EECP® Therapy.
Q: What are the risks of EECP® Therapy?
A: Occasionally, patients develop mild skin irritation in the areas under the
treatment cuffs or experience muscle or joint discomfort. Some patients feel
tired after the first few treatments but this usually ends after the first week.
Rarely, patients develop shortness of breath requiring hospitalization and
treatment. Your EECP® therapist is trained to make your treatments safe and to
minimize risk.
Q: Does insurance cover EECP® Therapy?
A: Yes. Medicare covers EECP® treatments for the patients who meet the
Medicare criteria. Most private insurance companies have coverage policies
similar to Medicare.

180 Linden Avenue • Westbury, NY 11590
Phone: 800-455-EECP (3327)
Fax: 516-779-2299
customerservice@vasomedical.com
V15-0000 R.4
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