A subtle but important change has taken place in cardiology clinics inrecent years. More cardiology specialists are beginning to suggest a therapy that, for a long time, lived quietly in the background: Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). It isn’t a new discovery. EECP has been available for decades. However, doctors now have a different perspective on it. As a workable solution that complements contemporary cardiac care, rather than as an "alternative" treatment to invasive angioplasty and bypass surgery. So what has changed, and why are cardiologists recommending it now, more than ever? A Safer Space Between Medication and Surgery Traditionally, patients with blocked arteries or persistent chest pain are steered towards one of two paths: ●      Medication to control symptoms and risk factors. ●      Invasive procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery. But not everyone fits neatly into those choices. Some patients are no...

  Living with Angina? Here’s How EECP Can Help Chest pain that comes and goes can leave more than a mark on the heart — it can shadow daily life. Angina, the warning signal of reduced blood flow to the heart, often makes simple activities like walking to the market or climbing stairs feel unpredictable.   For some, medicines keep discomfort at bay. For others, stents or bypass surgery bring relief. But what if symptoms still persist? What if another invasive procedure is not an option? That’s when cardiologists may bring up Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) — a non-invasive therapy that’s helping angina patients live with less pain and more freedom. Understanding Angina Beyond Pain What is Angina? Angina is chest pain or tightness that results from reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. It is not a disease itself but a symptom of underlying cardiac issues, usually coronary artery disease. The sensation may spread to the arms, jaw, neck, or back and is ofte...

Heart disease has been treated for decades with a familiar playbook: medicines to manage risk factors and invasive procedures like stents or bypass surgery when arteries become dangerously blocked. While these approaches save countless lives, cardiology is slowly entering a new chapter. The one that places non-invasive therapies at the forefront. Among these, Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) stands out as a therapy that is being rediscovered. It’s not a new invention, yet today many cardiologists and patients are asking the same question: Could EECP represent the future of non-invasive cardiac treatment? Why Non-Invasive Matters More Than Ever Every year, millions of people worldwide undergo cardiac interventions. While procedures are often necessary, they are not without risks of infection, complications from anaesthesia, repeat blockages, or simply the physical toll of surgery. At the same time, the profile of the average heart patient is changing : ●  ...

Across cardiovascular clinics worldwide, physicians frequently encounter a recurring narrative: patients who, despite adhering to prescribed therapies, remain burdened by breathlessness and persistent chest discomfort during routine activities. These are not outliers or critical emergencies but rather a growing cohort of individuals living with chronic, stable angina, often confronting limited treatment options outside of invasive procedures. It was in response to this widespread therapeutic gap that the Multicenter Study of Enhanced External Counterpulsation (MUST-EECP) was conceived. This pivotal trial aimed to evaluate whether a non-invasive intervention, such as EECP, could deliver measurable improvements in exercise-induced myocardial ischemia and reduce the frequency of anginal episodes, ultimately pointing toward a more patient-centric paradigm in cardiac care. Purpose and Scope of the MUST-EECP Study The MUST-EECP study was a rigorously designed, multicenter, randomized...