EECP FAQ: Your Questions, Answered

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is a non-invasive circulation therapy. Soft cuffs wrap around the calves, thighs and hips and inflate and deflate in rhythm with your heartbeat, designed to support blood flow back to the heart and throughout the body.

Sensors monitor your cardiac cycle. When your heart rests between beats, the cuffs inflate and gently push blood from the lower body toward the heart. Just before your heart contracts, the cuffs release, reducing the workload on your heart. Sessions are guided by your own heartbeat.

Yes. EECP involves no surgery, no needles and no incisions. You relax on a treatment bed for about an hour while the cuffs do their work, and there is no recovery time or downtime after a session.

You lie comfortably on a treatment bed with cuffs around your lower body. The system coordinates inflation and deflation with your cardiac cycle. Sessions last roughly 60 minutes, and most patients rest, read or listen to music while the treatment runs.

Most people describe EECP as comfortable. You feel a firm, rhythmic squeezing on the legs as the cuffs inflate, similar to a blood pressure cuff. The pressure can be adjusted, and the team monitors your comfort throughout the session.

A common course is about 35 one-hour sessions spread over several weeks, though this varies by individual situation. Your provider will discuss a plan and review progress with you along the way.

EECP is used in cardiovascular care, including stable angina and heart failure, and is of interest to people seeking non-invasive circulation support, recovery capacity and exercise tolerance. Suitability depends on your health history and must be assessed by a qualified professional.

No. EECP is not appropriate for certain conditions, such as severe aortic insufficiency or uncontrolled arrhythmias, which is why a medical evaluation comes before any treatment. Always discuss EECP with your doctor first.

Thrive EECP at 1111 E Draper Pkwy in Draper is Utah's only EECP clinic, and we serve patients from across the state, including Salt Lake City, Provo and Orem, Ogden and St. George.

Under CMS National Coverage Determination 20.20, Medicare covers EECP for disabling chronic stable angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class III or IV) when a cardiologist or cardiothoracic surgeon determines you are not a good candidate for angioplasty or bypass surgery. Medicare does not cover other conditions, and private plans vary, so patients should call the clinic to verify their coverage.

Blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and removes waste. Supported circulation is linked to energy, recovery, healing and the ability to stay active, which is why circulation therapies like EECP exist.

No, and neither does Thrive. EECP is a therapy designed to support circulation, not a cure for any disease. Individual results vary, and EECP should be part of a plan developed with your healthcare team.

Bring a list of your current medications, any relevant medical records or test results, and your questions. The consultation is a conversation, so come as you are and ask anything you need to feel confident.

Call {CLINIC.phone} or request a free consultation through the website. Our team will find an appointment time that works for you and answer your questions before you even arrive.