Enhanced External Counterpulsation, or EECP®, is a noninvasive outpatient treatment that may improve angina symptoms. It is designed to help angina patients who have proven unresponsive to, or are unable to sustain, other angina treatment regimens, such as medications, angioplasty and bypass surgery procedures. 
The term "Enhanced External Counterpulsation" describes the treatment. EECP treatment is:
- External -- It happens outside of the body and doesn't require surgery or other invasive procedures.
- Enhanced -- The equipment used in this treatment is state of the art, evolving over years of research and development.
- Counterpulsation -- This describes how the system pumps when the heart is resting and relieves pressure just before the heart beats. Counterpulsation increases blood flow to the heart muscle, decrease's the heart's workload and creates greater oxygen supply while lowering oxygen demand.
EECP may stimulate the opening of new, small blood vessel branches that create natural pathways around narrowed or blocked arteries, thus delivering more oxygen and blood to the heart. How it actually works is still under investigation.
Unlike bypass surgery and angioplasty procedures, EECP is administered in outpatient sessions, is relatively comfortable, and carries little or no risk. There have been no reported complications thus far with EECP treatment. The Food & Drug Administration has approved EECP treatment and it is also approved for Medicare coverage by the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration.
The Angina Center of Evansville is one of the only facilities in the tri-state area offering EECP treatment.
The Angina Center of Evansville…The Next Wave of Angina Therapy.
