Considering EECP From St. George? Here's the Honest Picture

The distance (approximate)

The drive from St. George to Draper is about 4 to 5 hours north on I-15, passing Cedar City, Beaver, Fillmore and Nephi before reaching Utah County and Point of the Mountain. Flights also run from St. George Regional Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport, which is roughly 30 minutes from our clinic by car. Daily commuting is not realistic.

How people make it work

A standard EECP course is 35 one-hour sessions, often five days a week for about seven weeks. Patients from far away typically:

• Stay with family in the Salt Lake or Utah County area for the treatment period
• Book an extended-stay rental or hotel near Draper
• Ask us whether a modified schedule might suit their situation
• Use TRAX during their stay: draper Town Center station, the southern end of the TRAX Blue Line at 1131 E. Pioneer Road, is about a quarter mile from our clinic, roughly a five-minute walk (approximate). That makes it possible to stay along the Blue Line in the Salt Lake Valley without driving every day.

We will talk this through at a free phone consultation before you commit to anything.

Your local care stays local

St. George residents receive heart care at Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital, whose heart and vascular program includes cardiology, heart failure care, heart rhythm services and cardiothoracic surgery. Thrive EECP is not affiliated with it. Your local cardiologist should stay involved, and we strongly encourage you to talk with them before traveling for EECP, both about whether it suits you and about how to coordinate follow-up when you return home.

Retirees, climate and altitude

Washington County has one of the largest retiree populations in Utah, and many of the St. George callers we hear from moved south for the warm winters. St. George sits at roughly 2,800 feet. Draper is around 4,500 feet, about 1,700 feet higher. Most people adjust to that difference without trouble, but if you have heart failure or significant breathlessness, ask your doctor whether the elevation change matters for you. Winter travel north through the higher stretches of I-15 near Beaver can also bring snow, so plan your trip timing with that in mind.

What EECP is and is not

EECP uses inflatable cuffs on the calves, thighs and buttocks, timed to your EKG, to push blood back toward the heart while it rests between beats and to lower its workload during each beat. The FDA has cleared it for chronic stable angina and certain heart failure patients, and Medicare has covered it for qualifying angina patients.

Studies show many patients have fewer angina episodes after a full course. It is not a cure, results vary, and it does not replace the care you receive at home.

Questions worth asking before you travel

• Has my cardiologist seen my latest tests, and does EECP fit my situation?
• Can I realistically stay in northern Utah for about seven weeks?
• Who will drive or accompany me?
• How will I coordinate follow-up care when I return to St. George?

Who should not do EECP

EECP is not appropriate for everyone. People with certain irregular heart rhythms, significant aortic valve leakage (aortic insufficiency), a recent blood clot in the legs, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe peripheral artery disease, or who are pregnant may not be candidates. We review your history and medications before you begin.

Treatment takes place only at our clinic at 1111 E. Draper Parkway, Suite 118, Draper, UT 84020. We do not have an office in St. George.