Frequently Asked Questions

How long do the benefits of EECP last?

Documented research has shown benefits lasting three to five years after EECP treatment. These benefits include less anginal episodes, decreased nitroglycerin usage, increased blood flow on stress tests, and increased exercise tolerance.

Can EECP dislodge plaque and cause a traumatic event?

No. Our bodies follow the laws of physics, and one principle law is that fluid will travel in the path of least resistance. Atherosclerotic plaques are calcified and hard, and they create an obstruction that detours the blood through alternate routes. During EECP, when your blood is flowing to the heart, it will naturally bypass arteries with plaque and enter healthy, non-diseased blood vessels to go around blockages. Throughout the EECP cycle, these new pathways are reinforced and become lasting routes for blood to reach your heart muscle beyond blockages. Almost every EECP patient has multiple blockages; no one has ever had a heart attack or a stroke as a result of the treatment.

Is EECP approved by the FDA? Have there been extensive studies on the treatment?

EECP was FDA approved in 1995 for the treatment of coronary artery disease and angina, cardiogenic shock, and for use during a heart attack. In 2002, the FDA approved EECP as a treatment for congestive heart failure. EECP has undergone clinical trials at leading universities around the nation and been subject to over a hundred scientific studies published in the most prestigious medical journals throughout the world.

How long does EECP take?

EECP is administered on a standard regiment of one hour a day, five days per week for seven weeks. This totals thirty-five one hour treatments to complete a course of EECP.

What if I miss a treatment?

You are encouraged to make every scheduled treatment, but if you miss a day it will not have a negative outcome to the overall treatment. We simply add another treatment onto the end until you reach the thirty-five completed sessions.

Does insurance pay for EECP?

Yes. Medicare, Medicaid and all Private carriers support the use of EECP.

Is there an age limit for EECP?

No. Patients as young as thirty-six and as old as ninety-five have successfully completed EECP without any complications. Many of our patients are in their eighties and older and have excellent results.

Does a pacemaker exclude me from having EECP

No. Pacemakers and defibrillators do not interfere in any way with EECP treatment.

If I have already had bypass surgery/angioplasty/stents, can I still have EECP?

Yes. Most patients have had at least one of these procedures. They come for EECP because they still experience cardiovascular symptoms.

Who cannot have EECP?

There are very few patients who cannot have EECP. The individuals who should not be treated include pregnant women, those with a severe aneurysm (thinned & bulging vessel walls) in their aorta requiring surgical repair, and patients with active blood clots in their legs.

Is there a difference between EECP and ECP?

Yes. EECP and ECP are significantly different. EECP is a registered trademark of Vasomedical, Inc., the leading manufacturer of EECP equipment in the U.S. Vasomedical has a patent on the timing mechanism, which determines the cuff inflation and deflation, and the cuff design — both specially designed to maximize augmentation — the most important part of the treatment. This timing mechanism makes the EECP unit by far the most clinically effective device on the market, distinguishing it from other external counterpulsation (ECP) equipment. Every U.S. study that has been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal has used EECP exclusively. Accordingly, EECP, — not ECP — machines are the ones found in every university hospital, major community hospital, and well-known practice that offers the treatment.