External Counterpulsation (ECP) Therapy
Non-invasive treatment for improved circulation and management of angina, heart failure and acute myocardial infarction
Cloudberry offers External Counterpulsation (ECP), a low-risk, non-invasive therapy for treating chronic stable angina, heart
failure and acute coronary syndrome. ECP is FDA-approved for patients who are not candidates for surgery, as well as those who have had stents or bypass surgery but continue to experience symptoms. Talk with your provider to see whether this therapy is appropriate for you.
After several treatments, ECP can encourage blood vessels to open new pathways, which eventually become natural bypass vessels that help improve circulation for better cardio performance. Patients receive the cardio benefits of physical exercise without the additional wear and tear on the body, as well as improved functional capacity, reduced fatigue and increased energy. ​
FDA-Approved Use
ECP is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for management of refractory angina and as therapy for heart failure patients. It is often prescribed in a series of 35 treatments, five days a week over seven weeks.
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As a result, patients receive the cardio benefits of physical exercise without the additional wear and tear on the body, as well as improved functional capacity, reduced fatigue and increased energy.
Photo by Gabriella Marls
What to Expect
At Cloudberry, we provide ECP in the comfort and convenience of our clinic on Hospital Drive. Each session typically takes 60 minutes, plus additional time for preparation.
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Before you begin, the technician will check your blood pressure and pulse. You then relax on a padded bed; the technician will attach cuffs around your lower legs, upper legs and buttocks, place a blood pressure sensor on your finger and affix EKG monitors on your chest to obtain your heart rhythm.
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As air fills the cuffs, you’ll feel them grow tighter until they reach full treatment pressure; they wll then contract and release in sync with your heartbeat. You can listen to music, watch videos or simply relax during the treatment. The technician remains close by to assure your comfort and safety and adjust the pressure as needed.
How It Works
ECP works by increasing the amount of blood returning to the heart, helping supply more oxygen to its starved areas.
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Following each heartbeat, as the heart muscle relaxes (diastole), the cuffs quickly inflate in rapid succession, starting at the lower leg, continuing at the lower thigh 50 milliseconds later, and upper thigh 50 milliseconds after that.
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The cuffs then deflate to facilitate cardiac unloading, delivering more oxygenated blood throughout the body.
The inflation and deflation continue throughout the session. Over time, ECP therapy can improve anginal symptoms and exercise tolerance, and reduce nitroglycerin use in patients with chronic stable angina.
