Flow Therapy and The Christ Hospital Presenting the Results of EECP® on Angina with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries (ANOCA)

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Nov 15, 2023, 08:00 ET

Patients undergoing non-invasive treatment show significant improvement in frequency of chest pain, exercise capacity and quality-of-life markers

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP^®), a non-invasive treatment that increases blood flow, is a promising solution for patients with Angina with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries (ANOCA). Findings were presented at the American Heart Association 2023 Scientific Sessions on Nov 11, 2023, with a concurrent publication in the American Journal of Cardiology.

These patients have debilitating symptoms, but no visible blockages in their main heart vessels. Emerging evidence indicates that these symptoms are predominately caused by coronary microvascular dysfunction – blockages that are too small to address surgically.

"For interventional cardiologists, many of our unmet needs involve the microvasculature," said Dr. Timothy D. Henry, Medical Director of the Carl and The Edyth Lindner Center for Research at The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Data show that 30%-40% of patients undergoing imaging procedures for angina are found to have no obstructive coronary artery disease and live with persistent symptoms, undergo repeated diagnostic evaluations, and remain ineffectively treated.

"In patients with microvascular dysfunction, they typically have exertional chest pain, and we will often use EECP^® in this patient population" said Dr. Henry. He and colleagues recently worked with Flow Therapy to assess the effects of EECP^® in over 100 patients with ANOCA – the largest dataset of its kind.

"The results are exciting. This study shows that 70% of patients improve at least 1 CCS angina class, which has important clinical implications as each class improvement is associated with significant reduction in morbidity, mortality and healthcare utilization. We are eager to conduct future research to further explore and elucidate the role of EECP^® in this ANOCA patient population with very limited treatment options," said Michael Gratch, CEO of Flow Therapy.

Dr. Odayme Quesada, Director of the Women's Heart Program at the Christ Hospital, and senior author of the paper, noted, "These are patients with persistent chest pain and a poor quality of life, markers that are very important to improve in this population."

EECP^® is an FDA-approved treatment for the management of refractory angina, and is an underutilized, non-invasive treatment modality which has been demonstrated to improve cardiac remodeling, endothelial function, and flow mediated dilation, with evidence showing improved markers associated with morbidity and mortality, including improved physical capacity, symptom burden, and overall quality of life.

About Flow Therapy: Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Flow Therapy operates in ten outpatient clinics throughout Texas and North Carolina and is the nation's leading provider of EECP^®, a non-invasive treatment for patients with heart conditions who suffer from fatigue, chest pain, and shortness of breath, with results in more than 400 peer-reviewed research articles. Flow Therapy has an unparalleled level of compassion and dedication to its patients and is leading alongside more than 1,000 cardiologists to embrace a new approach to heart health. For more information, visit www.FlowTherapy.com or follow Flow Therapy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.