When no further procedure is possible
A gentle option without further surgery.
EECP when no further procedure is possible: in brief.
For patients for whom a further catheter procedure or operation is not (or no longer) an option, EECP Cardio Pulse extends the possibilities.
How you recognise this situation.
- You have several procedures behind you
- A further procedure is considered too risky or not advisable
- The narrowings are spread over many segments
- The medication has been exhausted, the symptoms remain
- Everyday life is dictated by the heart
- You are looking for an option that has not yet been tried
What refractory angina means.
A further procedure is not possible or advisable for everyone, for example with very diffuse narrowing or an increased surgical risk. Yet distressing symptoms often remain. This is exactly where EECP Cardio Pulse comes in, gently and lying down.
What remains when no further procedure is possible.
Sometimes medication is exhausted and a further procedure is not an option. Medicine then speaks of refractory angina. For this situation the European guideline on chronic coronary syndromes names EECP as one of the most promising options. EECP Cardio Pulse can be an additional path here, complementing care by our heart specialists.
How EECP can help when no further procedure is possible.
EECP Cardio Pulse can improve the heart's blood supply naturally. Gentle from the outside, with no downtime.
When EECP can make sense in this situation.
No option for a procedure
The vessels are no longer suitable for a stent or bypass, or the risk would be too high. EECP Cardio Pulse works from the outside.
High surgical risk
Accompanying illnesses, age or previous operations argue against a procedure. EECP Cardio Pulse places no strain on you.
Medication exhausted
All drugs have been used, and the symptoms have remained. EECP Cardio Pulse is added as an additional route.
What speaks for EECP in this situation.
An option when procedures are no longer possible or sensible
Gentle from the outside, with no downtime
Aim: fewer symptoms, more exercise capacity
Lasting effect of EECP therapy when no further procedure is possible.
After around 35 sessions the treatment is over, and the effect can remain. In treatment data from many centres, mostly people with no option for a stent or bypass, a good half still had fewer symptoms two years later. A repeat is possible.
What EECP does not do in this situation.
EECP Cardio Pulse changes nothing about the narrowings themselves. It does not replace care by our heart specialists. Some pre-existing conditions argue against the treatment: severe leakage of the aortic valve, an aneurysm of the aorta or a recent thrombosis. Especially with a long medical history, we check this particularly carefully in the initial consultation.
Using everything, leaving nothing out.
Our philosophy: use every option in cardiology – including the body's own natural powers. EECP Cardio Pulse sets targeted flow stimuli and supports the vascular system's capacity to adapt. Entirely without a procedure, complementing conventional cardiology. As much as necessary, as gentle as possible.
Your path with EECP Cardio Pulse.
- 01
Cardio Check-Up
cardiac diagnostics.
- 02
First session
One hour lying down.
- 03
Series
35 sessions, one hour each.
- 04
Final check-up
The check-up.
View related research
The blinded, sham-controlled MUST-EECP trial of 139 patients was an important basis for the recognition of EECP in refractory angina. It showed fewer angina episodes and a longer time to exercise-induced ischaemia.
Arora RR, Chou TM, Jain D, et al. The Multicenter Study of Enhanced External Counterpulsation (MUST-EECP). J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;33(7):1833–1840. PMID 10362181
Questions about EECP when no further procedure is possible.
No further procedure is possible for me. Is EECP an option?
EECP was tested for exactly this situation in the MUST-EECP study, and the European guideline names it as one of the most promising options for it. Whether it is suitable for you, we clarify in the initial consultation with your findings.
What if I have several pre-existing conditions?
Before starting, we check in the Cardio Check-Up whether the heart, valves and vessels tolerate the treatment well. Arguments against EECP Cardio Pulse include, for example, severe leakage of the aortic valve, an aneurysm of the aorta, a recent thrombosis or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Most other pre-existing conditions are not an obstacle. Please bring all your findings with you.
I am over 80. Does EECP still make sense?
Age alone is not an obstacle. In the EECP registry, people of advanced age have also been treated. What matters are the heart valves, vessels and circulation, which we check in the initial consultation, not the year of birth.
How many sessions are needed in this situation?
The studies work with 35 sessions of one hour each, spread over roughly seven weeks. That is also our standard. If the effect lasts, a course can be repeated after months or years.
What if EECP does not work for me?
Then you will know after the course of treatment, not after years. We compare symptoms and exercise capacity before and after the treatment and discuss openly whether a repeat makes sense. The rest of your treatment continues unaffected.
Can I go home on my own after the session?
You can go straight home after each session; there is no downtime. Those who wish can come with a companion, but it is not necessary.
General information, not a promise of cure. Whether EECP is suitable for you is something we clarify after a cardiac examination.
Just give us a call.
We answer your questions and arrange an appointment together.
Private service under the GOÄ fee schedule: about 100 euros per session.