PRESSURE PANTS HELP CIRCULATION.Byline: Phil Davis
Albert Weber had no time for angina pectoris. The 85-year-old West Hollywood retiree was enjoying daily workouts on the tennis court until blockages in the blood vessels Blood vessels Tubular channels for blood transport, of which there are three principal types: arteries, capillaries, and veins. Only the larger arteries and veins in the body bear distinct names. that feed his heart muscle began causing intense chest pain and shortness of breath Shortness of Breath Definition Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of difficult or labored breathing that is out of proportion to the patient's level of physical activity. . Though drugs weren't helping, Weber hoped to avoid major surgery that would either bypass the blockages or force them open with balloon angioplasty balloon angioplasty: see under angioplasty. . He opted for a new and expensive but non-surgical option: Pressure pants pressure pants Emergency medicine An intermittent pneumatic leg compression device used to ↓ deep and proximal vein thromboses, and prevent post-surgical venous thrombosis seen after general, prostatic, orthopedic, and neurosurgery. . The treatment is called Enhanced External Counterpulsation enhanced external counterpulsation Cardiology A nonsurgical treatment of angina pectoris and CAD which ↑ blood flow to the heart by compressing blood vessels in the lower extremities. See MUST-EECP. (EECP EECP® Enhanced external counterpulsation, see there ) and it involves a series of six specialized inflatable blood pressure cuffs that pump blood from the legs back to the heart. The cuffs - three on each leg - are synchronized by a cardiac monitor that moves the blood in rhythm with the heart. ``The machine is like a second heart,'' said Dr. Harold Karpman, a Beverly Hills cardiologist. ``The theory behind this is that as it pushes blood back toward the heart, the patient starts to form new blood vessels.'' More blood vessels means the heart muscle gets more oxygen, and that cuts back on the angina pains caused by oxygen-starved muscles. The EECP concept has been around for decades, but only recently did the technology make it possible to truly synchronize the cuffs to a person's unique heart rhythm. The pressure pants procedure first came to Los Angeles in August at the Cardiac Renewal Center in Brentwood. More centers are planned. The first comprehensive study of this technology was published this summer in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is a nonprofit medical association established in 1949 to educate, research and influence health care public policy. The president for the 2006–2007 year is Steven E. Nissen. [1] The organization has 39 chapters in the U.S. . Researchers found the procedure did give relief to people suffering from angina, though they are still trying to figure out exactly why it works. A full seven-week course of 35 one-hour sessions costs roughly $10,500. Many insurers - including Medicare - pay for the treatment. Patients must be referred by their doctor. ``It certainly did a lot for me,'' said Samuel Witz, 79, of West Hollywood. ``I'm back to folk dancing and I'm able to walk two or three miles. I also was able to cut back on the use of my blood pressure medications.'' Weber said the treatment put him back on the tennis courts. ``I'm sold,'' he said. ``I like that it's non-invasive. And after the treatment I walk out of here feeling like I'm walking on air. I played tennis this morning for an hour.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Pressure cuffs provide non-invasive alternative to traditional treatments for angina pectoris. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion