Question 306 of 433
What is EECP, and is it a longevity treatment?
The short answer
It is a legitimate cardiology treatment for chest pain that cannot be fixed with stents or surgery. It is now being marketed to healthy people for longevity with no evidence.
Enhanced external counterpulsation uses cuffs on the legs that squeeze in time with the heartbeat, pushing blood back toward the heart. I know this one well. In patients with severe angina and no other options, a course of 35 one-hour sessions can reduce symptoms. The trials showed modest benefit even in that group. There are no studies showing that it makes healthy people fitter or longer-lived. Walking supports cardiovascular health, but it is not physiologically equivalent to EECP and does not replace indicated treatment.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
LIMITED HUMAN TRIALS for selected refractory angina; NOT DEMONSTRATED for healthy-user longevity.Evidence grade (draft mapping)FNot demonstrated / insufficientBLimited or small human studiesPart 20, Q306 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.