Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (ECP) is a non-invasive, preventative treatment for patients with cardiovascular disease particularly angina and heart failure.

In the process, ECP develops new pathways around blocked arteries in the heart by expanding networks of tiny blood vessels (“collaterals”) that help increase and normalize blood flow to the heart muscle. These blood vessels become extra branches and these channels or collaterals may eventually become “natural bypass” vessels to provide blood flow to heart muscle. For this reason, it is often called the natural bypass.

The counterpulsating action of ECP therapy increases venous return and cardiac output. The ECP treatment gently but firmly compresses the blood vessels in the lower limbs to increase blood flow to the heart. Each wave of pressure is electronically timed to the heartbeat, so that the increased blood flow is delivered to the heart at the precise moment it is relaxing. When the heart pumps again, pressure is released instantaneously. This lowers resistance in the blood vessels, in the legs so that blood may be pumped more easily from the heart.

ECP therapy is an administered 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. Clinical experience has shown ECP to be a safe, outpatient therapy offering long lasting benefits for these patients with angina and heart failure.

ECP assists the body in its own natural process, but performs it in a far more efficient manner. And there have been no major adverse side effects reported since the procedure was first introduced.