About/FAQs

About

Premier Vascular Solutions brings together healthcare professionals on a mission to improve cardiovascular health. Our team was founded by people who understand firsthand the challenges those with Cardiovascular Disease face on a daily basis. We are committed to improve patient outcomes and ultimately the quality of lives through our EECP Therapy solutions.

Our Story

Why are we so passionate about cardiovascular health? One of our founders experienced a life changing event and decided she had to share what she learned with others experiencing similar challenges:

In the summer of 2015, LeAnn was hiking in the Alps and noticed some shortness of breath. She attributed that to the altitude and thin mountain air and didn’t feel concerned because shortly before the trip, she completed a comprehensive health evaluation that included testing by a cardiologist, as well as a number of other specialists. LeAnn’s clinical numbers were good and she believed herself to be completely healthy. Best of all, she was specifically assured that no heart problems existed.

When LeAnn suffered a massive heart attack a few months later, she was shocked. Even the cardiologist who saved her life expressed surprise. As someone who conscientiously watched her weight, exercised, and regularly had cholesterol and triglycerides tested (to ensure they were not elevated), there was no reason to believe she was in danger of any kind of cardiac episode. Earlier tests had provided no indication that within months, the left artery would be totally blocked and the right 95% blocked.

Four years later, after two more heart attacks, 7 stents, stents within a stent and bypass heart surgery, she was even more surprised to have another respected cardiologist tell her that the most recent bypass had failed. The new right artery had calcified so completely, it had disappeared. The cardiologist was blunt. “There’s nothing else I can do for you. We can’t do stents. You can’t have another bypass.” He paused. “You have to grow new arteries.”

Her reaction was similar to that of her friends and family when they heard the diagnosis. “Okay! Wait! Can people really grow new arteries?”

Exercise. That is the answer. By exercising very hard, stopping at the first sign of pain, eventually our amazing bodies are capable of growing small capillaries that can keep one alive when arteries fail. LeAnn worked diligently on growing new arteries the next year and a half, but was still plagued by intermittent angina and shortness of breath.

It was then that she heard about Enhanced Electronic Counter-pulsation (EECP). It sounded like a minor miracle and too good to be true. But further research revealed it wasn’t some newly invented therapy. Discovered in the 1960s, heralded as a safe, natural alternative to bypass, it is widely used in China, India, Malaysia and other countries. Why hadn’t she heard of it earlier?

It was a significant challenge to find a medical provider who offered this groundbreaking therapy. It took four months to get a referral to begin EECP treatment at a cardiology practice with the only EECP machine in Denver, CO where she lived. One machine in Denver, and only two machines in the entire state of Colorado. While she was relieved and grateful for that machine, LeAnn was cautious enough to adhere to the adage — “if it sounds too good to be true…”.

The first week of EECP therapy was tiring. It acts as a form of exercise. Within a few weeks, however, the therapy grew easier. she had more energy, the swelling in the legs and ankles was gone, and she rarely had angina or shortness of breath, even during strenuous workouts. EECP had significantly improved LeAnn’s quality of life and it offered hope for a longer, more active life. For LeAnn, that was a major miracle!

So what next?

EECP was approved by the FDA in 1995 to treat those with documented Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) who also had symptoms of angina and shortness of breath. Following the approval by Medicare for reimbursement of those conditions, thousands of EECP clinics opened in the United States. Since the 2000’s, however, the number of EECP clinics has been in steady decline. Having experienced personally the benefits of EECP, LeAnn was baffled at how difficult it is to gain access to this treatment, when it has proven so successful and beneficial in other countries.

All of us have family and friends who would benefit from improved vascular health. Access to this life-changing therapy for all those with heart or vascular disease and the resulting benefits to them, their families and to our health care system would be a greater miracle yet.

FAQs

Why isn’t EECP used more often?

Your cardiologist may not have offered EECP treatment to you for several reasons, including your underlying health history and specific treatment plan. It’s not considered a first-line treatment for angina, even though it can decrease the need for common medications like nitroglycerin.

Treatment availability also may be a factor, because not all communities have accessible EECP equipment. Patient travel time can be a barrier to keeping appointments and completing the necessary full course of EECP treatment. EECP has become more common in the United States, though, and about 1,200 machines are now in operation across the country.

How does EECP Therapy work?

EECP treatment applies pressure to blood vessels in your lower limbs. The pressure increases blood flow back to your heart, so your heart works better. When your heart pumps better, symptoms ease.

This type of therapy can also encourage blood vessels to open new pathways for blood to flow to your heart. These pathways eventually become “natural bypass” vessels that help relieve symptoms of angina if your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked.

Is EECP therapy a common procedure?

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have received EECP therapy. This treatment relieves heart disease symptoms that can’t be controlled by medicine or treated with surgery.

What is the recovery time from EECP Therapy?

EECP therapy does not require a hospital stay. You can return to your regular routine immediately after treatment. Alert your healthcare provider if you experience any side effects. Many people experience improved blood flow and reduced symptoms of angina for several years after treatment. In some cases, you may need another course of EECP therapy.