EECP Therapy Exigency and Historical Perspective

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease associated with death and disability remains as a serious medical problem. The cost of the cardiovascular disorders in 2010 approaching 450 billion American dollars per year and projected to reach to one trillion American dollar a year by 2030. Pharmacotherapy and revascularization therapy considered as an initial strategy in refractory angina pectoris treatment. Revascularization strategies includes percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, enhanced external counter pulsation or intra-aortic balloon pump may also provide effective symptom control in certain patients. Enhanced external counter pulsation is one of the non-invasive therapies, designed for coronary artery disorder and for RAP patients who not respond to the procedures of revascularization and for pharmacotherapy. The anti-ischemic effects of EECP occur early and these effects are sustained to five years. Enhanced External Counter pulsation (EECP) therapy is approved by USA FDA for stable and unstable Angina, heart failure (HF), cardiogenic shock and acute myocardial infarction (MI).  Benefits associated with EECP include reduction of angina and nitrate use, increased exercise tolerance, favorable psychosocial effects and enhanced quality of life, as well as prolongation of the time to exercise-induced ST-segment depression and an accompanying resolution of myocardial perfusion defects.