What is ECP?

External counterpulsation therapy (ECP, also known as EECP) is a simple, noninvasive, outpatient treatment for angina. As a low-risk, painless treatment alternative to surgery and medication, ECP is  highly effective in relieving angina* in most patients.

The Medicare-approved ECP technique was pioneered in the U.S. in the 1950s, then developed, refined, and widely used in Asia while western physicians turned to a variety of surgical procedures. With the reintroduction of ECP to the U.S. in the 1980s, doctors and patients finally have a low-cost, low-risk therapeutic alternative to surgical or chemical intervention.

*Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough blood. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in the chest. The pain may also occur in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion, shortness of breath and fatigue.  Angina is caused by a blockage that decreases oxygen flow to the heart and the rest of the body.

Rodolfo A.
My need for ongoing cardiac care brought me to Dr. Wong.  I had a pacemaker implanted and I suffered from coronary artery disease. Dr. Wong recommended this special treatment called ECP therapy for me because of my plugged arteries. read more