EECP Therapy May Help Alleviate Long COVID Symptoms

Austin TX

14 December, 2021

12:09 AM

Description

Flow Therapy, the nation’s leading provider of Enhanced External Counter-pulsation (EECP®) services, a non-invasive treatment that increases blood flow to the heart and throughout the cardiovascular system, is studying the effects of EECP on long COVID symptoms. EECP is an FDA-approved treatment for the management of refractory angina and heart failure. It is currently used to treat symptoms associated with heart disease, such as chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue – symptoms that are also common to long COVID patients. “Long COVID hasn’t been around that long, but long COVID symptoms – like chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue – are also common to cardiology patients. EECP has been used in medical settings to treat these symptoms in cardiology patients for years,” says Sachin A. Shah, PharmD, chief scientific officer of Flow Therapy. “EECP is not yet FDA-approved for long COVID treatment, but our initial results are promising. Patients with long COVID need viable treatment options, and we’re working toward that.” Long COVID is a general term used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after four weeks of an acute, COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of one or more health issues at least 30 days after an initial COVID-19 diagnosis has been estimated to be over 50%. Common symptoms of long COVID may include fatigue, chest pain, brain fog, headaches and difficulty breathing. Using advanced, counter-pulsation technology timed to one's heartbeat, EECP can improve oxygenated blood flow throughout the body, increasing the body’s ability to restore organ function. As part of the study, Flow Therapy has utilized EECP to treat patients with long COVID in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina, with significant results in abating these symptoms: Chest pain symptoms improved in 97% of patients Fatigue improved in 88% of patientsWalking distance improved in 83% of patientsBreathing difficulty improved in 63% of patients “These findings are important, as over 50% of post-COVID patients suffer from lingering, long-term symptoms. These statistically significant findings, using validated clinical tools, provide the first glimpse of hope as one potential treatment strategy for persistent symptoms after COVID,” said Juan Cabrera, MD, at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Flow Therapy is headquartered in Fort Worth, with outpatient clinics in Fort Worth, Austin, Round Rock, San Antonio, and Plano, Texas, as well as Tempe, Arizona, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Currently, Flow Therapy is the largest private organization in its specialty. On the web: www.FlowTherapy.com.