EECP Therapy

EECP Therapy services offered in Venice, Sarasota, Bradenton and Ellenton, FL

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy offers a noninvasive, nonpharmaceutical alternative to improving blood flow in people with heart problems. Barry Weckesser, MD, and Amy Kinter, NP, at The Heart Institute of Venice, offer the latest EECP therapy to help people with heart conditions like coronary artery disease in Venice, Florida. Call The Heart Institute of Venice or request a consultation online today to discover if you could benefit from EECP therapy.

EECP Therapy Q & A

What is EECP therapy?

EECP therapy is a noninvasive procedure that improves blood flow to your heart and enhances cardiovascular health.

This nonsurgical treatment involves having inflatable blood pressure cuffs wrapped around your lower limbs that inflate and deflate in time with your heartbeat. EECP therapy avoids the risks associated with surgery and anesthesia and doesn’t require hospitalization.

EECP therapy enhances blood flow to your heart using gentle external pressure. The cuffs you wear on your legs squeeze during your cardiac cycle’s resting phase and then release during the heart’s beating phase. This pumping action promotes increased blood flow to your heart muscle, improves circulation, and ensures better oxygen delivery to your heart.

Why might I need EECP therapy?

EECP therapy offers effective treatment for certain heart conditions. It’s particularly beneficial for patients with:

Angina pectoris

Angina is a common cause of chest pain and pressure. It often develops in patients with heart disease because of restricted blood flow.

Refractory angina

Refractory angina is chest pain that doesn’t get better with medications. Drugs that improve blood flow through the heart often relieve angina symptoms. However, despite trying several different medicines, some patients don’t experience any improvement.

EECP therapy relieves your symptoms by reducing the heart’s workload and improving blood supply to your coronary arteries.

EECP therapy also provides an alternative for patients who prefer to avoid (or aren’t suitable candidates for) medications or invasive procedures. Your cardiologist may recommend using this natural approach to improving heart health with other treatments to maximize effectiveness.

What does having EECP therapy involve?

The Heart Institute of Venice prioritizes personalized care. The experienced team evaluates your specific needs and designs a customized treatment program tailored to your heart disorder and general health. They monitor your progress and make adjustments where necessary to optimize EECP therapy’s benefits.

Patients usually find EECP therapy comfortable, and most tolerate it very well. Each session lasts about 60 minutes, during which time you can relax, read, watch a movie, or listen to music. The Heart Institute of Venice’s trained health care professionals monitor you throughout the treatment, ensuring your safety and comfort.

Treatment frequency and length vary according to each patient’s needs, but a typical EECP therapy course consists of 30 weekday visits in a row.

Call The Heart Institute of Venice to learn more about benefiting from EECP therapy, or schedule a consultation online today.