Noninvasive revascularization by enhanced external counterpulsation: A case study and literature review

Nearly 8 million people in the United States suffer from symptoms of corona ry artery disease (CAD). Unfortunately, the population of patients with isc hemic coronary disease that is not readily amenable to surgical or percutan eous revascularization continues to grow. For patients tr ho are not candid ates for standard revascularization procedures and in whom aggressive medic al therapy fails to control symptoms, enhanced external counterpulsation (E ECP) is a new, noninvasive outpatient method to improve quality of life by decreasing ischemic symptoms and permit increased activity, We report the c ase of a 56-year-old woman with severe, symptomatic CAD receiving maximal m edical therapy who underwent a course of EECP therapy because she was not a good candidate for other forms of revascularization, She demonstrated dram atic improvement in her anginal symptoms and complete resolution of myocard ial ischemia on repeat nuclear stress imaging, This case suggests that EECP is a safe and effective method for reducing symptoms of myocardial ischemi a in patients for whom standard percutaneous or surgical revascularization is not suitable treatment.