Indianapolis & Carmel, ECP, External Counterpulsation, Heart Angina Treatment, No Surgery

After two years, 73% had a reduction in angina class and 50% an improvement in quality of life after two years

2008-10-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Don't you think you should feel better?

Two-year outcomes after enhanced external counterpulsation for stable angina pectoris (from the International EECP Patient Registry [IEPR]) .

The American Journal of Cardiology , Volume 93 , Issue 4 , Pages 461 - 464

A . Michaels

We assessed the long-term outcomes of enhanced external counterpulsation in relieving angina and improving the quality of life in a large cohort of patients with chronic angina pectoris. Seventy-three percent had a reduction by ≥1 angina class at the end of treatment, and 50% reported an improvement in the quality-of-life assessment after enhanced external counterpulsation; these results were sustained at 2-year follow-up.

The Non-Invasive Approach to Cardiovascular Disease

2008-09-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Check out Dr. Robert Prather's radio show on The Non-Invasive Approach to Cardiovascular Disease on www.pratherwellnesscommunity.com or click here to hear it now.

Don't suffer with a bad heart - call us at 317.848.8048 to set up an appointment.

Heart Attack Care - Can you revive your heart before or after heart surgery?

2008-07-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, of course you can. With External Counterpulsation or ECP.

This is what the American Heart Association says about External Counterpulsation?

This is a noninvasive technique to increase oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart and to reduce the heart's workload. It's performed over a series of several weeks, with each session lasting from one to two hours. Pressure cuffs on the legs are inflated in sequences. As a result, the blood vessels in the legs are gently compressed and the blood is forced back to the heart. This technique

* lowers the pressure the heart must pump against
* increases the rate of return of blood to the heart
* increases blood pressure while the heart is resting

When is external counterpulsation used?

It's used to decrease pain from angina pectoris. Angina is chest pain or discomfort. It happens because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood and oxygen for the work it's doing.

External counterpulsation improves the balance between the amount of oxygen the heart needs and the amount it gets. Both these changes reduce the pain of angina, increase level of exercise and decrease the need for medication.

Prather Wellness Center in Indianapolis, IN, does External Counterpulsation or ECP therapy.

Sessions last 5 times a week for an hour for seven weeks. This may seem a bit long but the results are amazing.

One patient hadn't cut wood in five years since his heart surgery. After just a few weeks, he was back to cutting wood and loving life.

There are other good "side" effects as well to the therapy. Men have increased blood flow which can lead to reviving sexual activity without the need of drugs.

If you would like to find out about what External Counterpulsation Therapy can do for you, please click here to send an email or call 317.848.8048.

Restoring Your Hope at Prather Wellness.

ECP Therapy relieves heart angina - available at Prather Wellness Center in Indianapolis, IN

2008-06-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

Cardiac care often requires surgery or medication to get patients on the mend. A procedure called ECP, available at Prather Wellness Center, gives angina patients relief through thousands of healthy "squeezes".

ECP stands for External Counter Pulsation therapy, a noninvasive medical treatment offered at Prather Wellness Center in Indianapolis, IN. It’s a therapy that takes one hour a day, five days a week for seven weeks—a commitment.

External counter pulsation therapy is not new—it’s been available for more than 15 years in the United States—but it didn’t become available at Prather Wellness Center until a few weeks ago.

External counter pulsation therapy was developed in China as a low-cost treatment for individuals who could not afford bypass surgery or medicines for angina. But because the equipment is expensive to buy in the United States, not many hospitals or doctors’ offices spend the money to have it as a medical option.

Angina is caused by a blockage that decreases oxygen flow to the heart and the rest of the body. ECP therapy will not remove the blockage but it will, however, create an alternative route of blood vessels for blood flow, bringing “significant relief for about 80% of the people who have the procedure.

The ECP process resembles squeezing toothpaste up from the bottom of a tube, but at split-second speed. By the end of the procedure, and hundreds of jolts off the bed later, the patient’s face is flushed and his or her body feels warm.

Basically, the procedure is painless and the side effects may include increased body warmth or a flushed face. The jolting action eventually becomes unnoticeable. ECP patients are known to read books, sleep, watch movies, and chat with assistants during the hour-long procedure.

How can ECP help relieve angina?

2008-02-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Your heart is the pump that supplies blood flow throughout the body. It supplies tissues with the oxygen and nutrients that are needed to sustain life.

In order to efficiently accomplish this important task, the heart muscle needs oxygen-enriched blood to generate energy for pumping blood to the body.

The heart relies on its own set of blood vessels called coronary arteries to receive oxygenated blood. ECP seems to improve circulation to your heart muscle by opening new pathways that circumvent the blocked arteries.

Many patients see:

• less medication is required
• fewer angina attacks
• they can do much more physically such as walking, golfing and gardening
• life becomes more “normal”

How will I feel during and after I finish the ECP Therapy?

2008-02-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Most patients describe the treatment as a vigorous massage.

They also say that after you get used to it, reading or sleeping during the treatment is very easy. Right after finishing a treatment many are energized or invigorated, but some feel a little tired.

Does ECP carry any risks?

2008-02-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

Though rare, some patients can develop minor abrasions from the rubbing of the cuff system. The ECP therapist or your physician can describe any potential risk and/or complications that may occur.

What advantages does ECP have over other treatments?

2008-02-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

ECP is less expensive, non-invasive and doesn’t require recuperation after treatment. Rather than checking into a hospital, you visit an outpatient facility and can drive yourself home when each session is completed.

What is an ECP treatment?

2008-02-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

ECP is a non-invasive procedure that may reduce the symptoms of chronic angina by stimulating the formation of small branches of blood vessels (collaterals), which circumvent the blocked arteries.

Counter pulsation occurs while the heart is resting (diastole). It is during diastole that the CardiAssist system actually pumps, sending blood back to the heart. Air is inflated into a series of cuffs placed on your calves, thighs and buttocks.

The system compresses your lower extremities in sequence (like a wave) which increases blood flow back toward your heart. The inflation of these cuffs is timed to your heartbeat so the blood arrives at precisely the time the heart relaxes.

A fraction of a second before your heart beats again, the cuffs are instantaneously deflated, enabling the blood in your heart to be pumped (systole), with minimal resistance. This decreases the amount of work your heart must perform.

IT’S AS SIMPLE AS 1,2,3...

One: ECP pumps, sending oxygenated blood
to the heart during diastole (the heart is resting)

Two: ECP stops pumping just before the heart pumps, leaving the blood vessels open and void of resistance.

Three: Over the treatment period your angina is reduced, or may even be eliminated.

How Does ECP treatment help my heart work less?

2008-02-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

ECP lowers your pressure during systole (when the heart is pumping) and increases your pressure during diastole (when the heart is resting). As a result your heart doesn’t
have to work as hard to supply your body with blood flow.

A study has shown the accumulation of 35 hours of treatment produces a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance similar to the “training effect” of exercise. The combination of improved myocardial perfusion and less vascular resistance may explain the symptomatic improvement in patients.

What Does ECP Therapy Feel Like?

2008-02-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

ECP with the CardiAssist Counter Pulsation System feels like a vigorous massage.

After putting on your stretch tights, electrodes are applied to your chest to provide an ECG signal so that the CardiAssist system will be properly timed to your heart beat.

A sensor will also be clipped to your finger to give your blood pressure tracing. This is how your therapist determines the proper settings to maximize the effect of the therapy.

Next, the therapist places the cuff system around your calves, thighs and buttocks.

When activated, the cuffs provide what Dr. Kenneth Sunnnergren, Lewes, Delaware calls “leg-hugs”. These leg-hugs™ start in a wave form up the legs from the calves, to the thighs and finally the buttocks.

What do I need to do for ECP Therapy?

2008-02-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

Once you know you qualify for ECP therapy there are a few helpful pre-treatment do’s, don’ts and facts.

First, you must understand that you are committing to one hour sessions, five days per week, for seven weeks.

Interruptions in the daily routine are not good and should be avoided if at all possible. You should plan to spend about an hour and a half each day at your treatment center.

You may feel somewhat tired at the end of the first week, due to the “passive exercise” effect of ECP.

Each day, your therapist will conduct a pre-treatment questionnaire, weigh you and take your blood pressure prior to starting your therapy.

We recommend the following:

Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time
Wear stretch tights to reduce skin irritation
Wear form fitting underwear, not boxers
Wear short socks if possible
Consume very little food or fluids before treatment
Be sure to urinate before starting the therapy
Take your med’s as directed by your physician
Wear an open necked top, the looser fitting the better
Bring music (Tape or CD player) or Books on Tape/CD
Bring your spouse/friend if you like