ACTA

Enhanced External Counterpulsation in Patients with Advanced Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

B. Przywara-Chowaniec^a, M. Gawlikowski^b, A. Kuczaj^a, M. Bachorz^c, P. Czechowski^c, P. Kowalski^c, M. Geodecki^c, D. Kawecki^a, K. Barańska^a, M. Paluch^a, M. Pluszczyk^a, M. Opara^a, A. Puzio^a and E. Nowalany-Kozielska^a
^aSilesian Medical University in Katowice, 2nd Department 1st Clinical Ward of Cardiology in Zabrze, Poland
^bFoundation of Cardiac Surgery Development, Zabrze, Poland
^cInstitute of Medical Technology and Equipment, Zabrze, Poland

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A significant increase in the number of patients with heart failure of varied etiology has been observed in the recent years. Apart from pharmacological and surgical therapies, new, non-invasive assistance methods of cardiovascular system are still sought. One of them is external counterpulsation. Within this study, effectiveness of such a form: of therapy has been examined in a group of 10 patients with an ischemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction. It has been shown that external counterpulsation has a beneficial influence onto the result of a six-minute walk test and causes a slight decrease in the creatinine concentration in the patients undergoing the tests.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.122.866
PACS numbers: 47.63.Ec, 82.60.Fa