IMPROVED EXERCISE TOLERANCE FOLLOWING ENHANCED EXTERNAL COUNTERPULSATION - CARDIAC OR PERIPHERAL EFFECT

The effect of treatment with enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) on Coronary disease exercise hemodynamics and myocardial stress perfu sion in 27 patients with Exercise tolerance chronic stable angina was studied. A majority (22/27 or 81%) of patients improved their exercise tolerance after EECP treatment, and a similar percentage (21/27 or 78 %) of patients improved their radionuclide stress perfusion images. Po st-ECCP maximal exercise heart rate and blood pressure, while demonstr ating a linear relation with exercise duration, did not increase signi ficantly despite the increased exercise duration. This suggests that t he increase in exercise duration after treatment with EECP is due to b oth improved myocardial perfusion and altered exercise hemodynamics. E ECP therapy thus appears to exert a 'training' effect, decreasing peri pheral vascular resistance and the heart rate response to exercise. Co ronary disease patients may improve their exercise tolerance after EEC P because of both improved myocardial perfusion and a decrease in card iac work load.