Angina
Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart disease. Symptoms can range from crushing chest pain to a mild nagging discomfort. Persons with angina may experience distress in the chest cavity, or across the shoulder blades, which can radiate down both arms. They may also experience tightness in the neck or jaw area and or around the rib cage. In addition, anginal equivalent symptoms of coronary heart disease include fatigue and shortness of breath.
In coronary heart disease there is a build-up of plaque, which causes a stenosis (narrowing), and or an occlusion in the lumen of the coronary arteries, thus decreasing the supply of oxygen rich blood to the heart muscle. During physical activity, the heart muscle requires additional oxygen rich blood. When the heart muscle is denied the needed oxygen rich blood angina and anginal equivalent symptoms manifest themselves.
EECP therapy increases the percentage of oxygen rich blood feeding the coronary arteries. Pressure applied against the lower extremities increases venous and arterial blood return to the heart. Thus increasing the volume of venous blood to the right side of the heart, which is enriched by the lungs with oxygen; as well as the blood volume to the left side, which regurgitates oxygen rich arterial blood into the coronary arteries.