By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer
Dr. Debra Braverman considers Enhanced External Counterpulsation the best-kept secret in medicine.
The doctor is founder of Braverman EECP Heart Centers, based at 700 Cottman Ave.
EECP, which is approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, is the only non-invasive outpatient treatment for coronary artery disease, angina and congestive heart failure.
The treatment is considered safe and painless, without the risks or recovery time associated with surgery. There are no surgeries, drugs, needles, side effects or hospital stays. Patients have a decreased need for nitroglycerine and score better on stress tests.
The treatment is offered at leading facilities around the world, and the journal Cardiology has suggested it should be America’s first line of treatment for heart disease.
"It really sounds like it’s too good to be true," Braverman said, "but it’s true."
EECP is offered at the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University Hospital and, yes, at Braverman’s office in Burholme. The local doctor has the largest EECP practice in the country and has written a book, Heal Your Heart with EECP.
Patients lie in a bed, with their head on an incline and resting on a pillow. Soft, flexible blood pressure cuffs are wrapped around their waist, thighs and calves. The cuffs are triggered by an electrocardiogram (EKG) and squeeze and release in sync to the patient’s heartbeat.
The treatment stimulates the flow of healthy, oxygenated blood to the heart by opening or forming small blood vessels, which create lasting natural bypasses around narrowed or blocked arteries.
"There’s no pain involved whatsoever," Braverman said.
In fact, many of the patients read, listen to music, sleep or hold conversations as they lay on the foam-padded bed. That helps their condition.
Braverman, who has seen more than 2,000 patients in six and a half years, refers to the treatment as "passive exercise."
"The more relaxed they are, the more the vessels relax and the blood circulates," she said.
EECP often eliminates the need for invasive procedures and increases energy and stamina.
Braverman’s patients range in age from 36 to 99, with most from their mid-50s to 80s. They run the gamut from people in wheelchairs to those who play tennis.
"People in their eighties are expecting an active lifestyle," Braverman said. "It’s not like twenty, thirty years ago. They want to play golf and tennis, baby-sit and be out and about."
Many of the patients have been referred by their cardiologists, and about 85 percent have had at least one stent or bypass surgery.
The typical patient is unable to have another stent or bypass or simply dislikes invasive procedures. In general, they receive 35 one-hour treatments in a seven-week period.
Because heart disease is a chronic condition with no cure, some patients require another round of treatment.
"It’s about managing the disease over time," Braverman said.
A number of patients feel better immediately, while others show improved health at a later date.
"What many of our patients experience is that they feel better six months later," Braverman said.
Mary Pat Broskey, a 62-year-old from Bucks County, had clogged arteries that led to angina, a lack of energy and shortness of breath. Those symptoms, coupled with a family history of heart disease, led her cardiologist to refer her to Braverman’s office.
Broskey likes the professional nature of the office and has become a believer in the EECP treatment.
"I feel it’s working," she said.
Gregory Taits, a 61-year-old from Bustleton, agrees with Broskey that the professional and friendly staff makes visits to the center a pleasure.
Taits had a heart attack four years ago. After his recovery, he was referred to Braverman’s office for an EECP treatment.
"After one or two weeks, I started to feel much better," he said.
A couple of months ago, after experiencing chest pains, he returned to the office.
"I feel much better. I have no chest pains, and my energy is better," he said.
About 6.8 million Americans have angina. While they might look healthy, the heart disease inside them is real and shows when they engage in routine activities such as carrying groceries or walking up stairs.
Braverman encourages people to call her office to learn about the treatment, then discuss the issue with their physician.
After patients make an appointment at the office, Braverman will offer a full consultation that includes a physical examination and a review of their medical history.
Braverman, who will soon join the cardiology staff at Albert Einstein Medical Center, said the treatment can be as good and better than the more widely known angioplasty/stents and bypass surgery.
Studies show that patients receiving all the available treatments were equally likely to die (12 to 14 percent) or have a heart attack (8 to 9 percent) within five years.
"EECP should be in the same league," Braverman said. "It’s covered by Medicare and all insurances, which speaks to its validity, and it’s available right here in Northeast Philadelphia." ••
For more information on Enhanced External Counterpulsation, call Braverman EECP Heart Centers at 215-342-2100 or visit www.bravermancenters.com.
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com