Lake Champlain Cardiology Associates
52 Tom Miller Rd., Plattsburgh, NY 12901  (518) 563-2404
www.lccahearts.com

EECP – A New Treatment for Blocked Arteries

For many years patients with angina (chest pain or pressure caused by blocked arteries in the heart) had 2 options for treatment: angioplasty with stents, or bypass surgery. However, there are many people with blocked arteries who cannot be treated with either of these 2 procedures, whether it is because there are too many blockages to stent, or the risks of surgery are too high. There is now a new treatment available for blocked arteries in the heart, called EECP. Unlike stents or bypass surgery, EECP is an outpatient procedure, not requiring a stay in the hospital.

EECP consists of a series of blood pressure cuffs attached to the legs, inflated and deflated in rhythm with the heart beat. A treatment session last for an hour, and sessions are carried out 5 days a week for 7 weeks, a total of 35 sessions. Although EECP can be repeated every year, most people receive benefit that lasts 2-3 years, and EECP only has to be repeated if symptoms get worse again.

EECP does not open blocked arteries but it may help create new microscopic blood vessels, and probably also heals the lining of blood vessels in the heart. This is a part of the heart that scientists have recently discovered can be critical to determining how well the heart copes with narrowed arteries.

EECP is covered by Medicare and most other insurers. If you have questions about whether EECP might be helpful for you or a loved one, please ask your doctor, or call our office.