The Past, Present and Future of External Counterpulsation / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ABSTRACT

Enhanced external counterpulsation(EECP) was developed in our laboratory and applied in clinical setting since 1976. Before the year of 1990, the mechanism of this treatment was supposed to promoting collateral circulation by increasing diastolic pressure during counterpulsation. According to a series of investigations, we discovered and confirmed that the flow shear stress were increased obviously during EECP, regulating a series of reaction of shear stress responsive elements, inducing vascular endothelial cell (VEC) repair mechanism, improving VEC function, all of which contribute to the inhibition of development of atherosclerosis. A new generation of EECP device was designed based on the advances above and aimed at promoting the aterial flow shear stress more effectively in turn to protect vascular endothelium.