Magnus Ahlbom, Inger Hagerman, Marcus Ståhlberg, Aristomenis Manouras, Gunilla Förstedt, Eline Wu, Lars H Lund
BACKGROUND: Regular enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) improves exercise capacity possibly through a training effect, but the roles of oxygen consumption (VO2) vs. direct EECP effects (diastolic augmentation, DA-ratio), and their relation to cardiac index (CI) during EECP are unknown. METHODS: We studied eight patients with angina pectoris (median [range] age 72 [53-85], 25% women), who underwent EECP for 35 daily sessions. Before, during and after the first and last sessions, we assessed VO2, DA-ratio and CI...
November 2016: Heart, Lung & Circulation