» External Counterpulsation Therapy
If you or someone you know is among the more than 7 million people in this country who suffer the crippling chest pain of angina pectoris, you should know about External Counter Pulsation Therapy (ECP). Dr. Edwards and Bio Health Center were among the first centers to offer this exciting new "non-invasive" cardiovascular treatment in the Reno, Nevada area. Used alone or combined with additional Homeopathic Integrative methods of treatment for Heart Disease ECP is revolutionizing the clinical approach to atherosclerotic heart disease .
Although it sounds "technical," the idea behind External Counterpulsation is actually very simple. The term External Counterpulsation (ECP) describes what happens during treatment. Using state-of-the-art technology that has developed during decades of research and is used for ECP treatment today. ECP treatment is "external" because it happens outside the body and does not require surgery or other invasive procedures. Counterpulsation occurs between heart beats. A series of blood pressure cuffs are placed along the length of patients leg and pelvis area. These cuffs, from the ankles to the pelvis, are connected to an inflation device that is coordinated by a computer that monitors the patients heart beat. During the active beating of the heart the cuffs are deflated so the blood pumped by the heart can go down the arteries of the legs. When the heart relaxes, as determined by the computer monitor, the cuffs rapidly inflate from bottom to top (ankles to pelvis) or "counter" to normal flow and the "counterpulsation" forces blood back up the arteries and into the heart arteries. For a yet to be discovered reason, this action seems to cause new blood vessel formation around previously clogged arteries, technically called "collateral arteries." Each actual treatment lasts about one hour per session. The standard is to complete 35 one hour sessions.
When patients have angina, their bodies are telling them that their heart is not receiving enough oxygen. This treatment, in harmony with patients heart, can improve circulation to the heart muscle. ECP treatment appears to stimulate the opening of new, natural pathways around narrowed or blocked arteries. After ECP treatment, patients may find that they can walk farther, carry heavier packages and be more active without having angina. They have fewer attacks of angina, their episodes of angina are less intense, they need less anti-anginal medication, they can return to work, go out to dinner, garden, travel, or enjoy golf, tennis, or bowling once again. They no longer restrict their social lives, volunteer activities, or exercise because they are worried that they will cause angina. Developed and tested in multicenter, controlled, clinical studies, with positive medical results and demonstrated quality of life improvement for angina and congestive heart failure. Approved by the FDA and Medicare for use in angina ("heart pain"), congestive heart failure, acute heart attack or cardiogenic shock, ECP is also being used "off-label" to treat memory problems, Parkinson's disease, Infertility, diabetic microvascular disease, stroke, post stroke dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, cerebral and peripheral micro-vascular diseases, athletic performance enhancement and other vascular conditions.
ECP is totally non-invasive and has been repeatedly demonstrated in FDA approved clinical trials to be extremely safe as well as effective. Occasional muscle discomfort and rarely mild bruising may occur. Although deemed completely non-invasive and extremely safe, ECP does have a few limitations. ECP is absolutely contra-indicated in patients with significant (grade III or greater) aortic valve leakage, uncontrolled atrial fibrillation (HR >125) or similar arrhythmia, brain aneurysm, aortic aneurysm greater than 3.5 cm in diameter, active thrombophlebitis, coumadin therapy with an INR > 3.0 or severe uncontrolled GERD. In addition, the following medical conditions may be relative contra-indications to ECP therapy: implanted pacemaker and/or defibrillator, controlled atrial fibrillation, coumadin therapy with an INR, 2.5, calcific or severe peripheral vascular disease, varicose veins, recent surgery (less than 6 weeks post-op), in patients with grade aortic valve disease, active or uncontrolled or severe leg lymph edema, fluid edema or ulcers. Additional clinical situations may also disqualify a candidate for ECP.
Following successful ECP treatment, many heart patients may find that they can walk farther, carry heavier packages and be more active without having angina. They have fewer attacks of angina, their episodes of angina are less intense, they need less anti-anginal medication, they can return to work, go out to dinner, garden, travel, or enjoy golf, tennis, or bowling once again. They no longer restrict their social lives, volunteer activities, or exercise because they are worried that they will cause angina. Developed and tested in multicenter, controlled, numerous clinical studies have been completed with positive medical results and demonstrated quality of life improvement. Similar anectodal results involving Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Erectile Dysfunction, Athletic Performance Enhancement and other conditions have been reported for these "off-label" uses previously described. Enhancing your life's rhythm is the heart of ECP.
When used for an FDA approved ("labeled") indication ECP is generally covered by private insurance.
Pre-paid or "HMO-PPO" type care may cover the treatments, but usually require a referral from the primary fiduciary medical practitioner and/or may limit coverage to providers that sign legal contracts with them. Dr Edwards has elected not to sign any contracts with insurors, HMO-PPO's or any other third party payer. Medicare will cover ECP for severe angina (class III-IV only) and heart failure, but based on federal law Dr Edwards has voluntarily "opted out" of Medicare due to increasingly mind-less federal bureaucratic regulation of medical treatment. Therefore, Medicare is not accepted by Dr Edwards, but Medicare patients may still undergo ECP therapy from Dr Edwards by signing a release and paying for therapy. If you or a loved one suffers from atherosclerotic heart disease and are searching for a different approach to this all to common and debilitating condition or you are interested in ECP for another indication, simply contact us for a consultation with Dr. Edwards or one of the certified staff at Bio Health Center.
"No matter how skillful one becomes, the great mysteries of Life will always hover just out of reach. One can never know all the answers. In the reality of everyday medical practice, no one can guarantee any clinical result... but I and my certified staff can and do promise to try to help each individual patient to the best of our abilities, by using all our knowledge, skill and compassion. Having been trained as a 'medical scientist,' I can bear witness to the simple fact that statistical science and individual reality do not share the same experience. The Quantitative 'eye' of the scientist perceives a different Reality than the Qualitative 'I' of the patient. And yet modern statistical science dismisses individual patient experience as 'anecdotal' and 'biased.' Such dangerous nonsense has caused much suffering and harm. Individual patient experience is the only true measure of the Quality of care. Relief of suffering, not statistical significance, is the patients real quest, their only quest... and the true physician's ultimate goal. I believe it was in Plato's Phaedrus that Socrate's ask's, 'do we really need anyone to tell us what is right?' Homeopathic Integrative medical practice provides the patient and practitioner with simple, non-toxic methods of treatment for relief of suffering... a natural union of clinical Art and Science... the true essence of medical service."
- David A. Edwards, MD, HMD
