P2682Long-term effects of enhanced external counterpulsation treatment on symptom burden, usage of nitrates, physical capacity and health-related quality of life in patients with refractory angina pectoris

Abstract Background Patients with refractory angina pectoris (RAP) suffer from debilitating symptoms with considerable limitation of functional capacity and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) despite optimized medical therapy. Recurrent angina symptoms are strongly associated with psychological distress and cardiac anxiety (i.e., a subtype of anxiety related to cardiac sensations). Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is an alternative non-invasive treatment for these patients. An EECP course includes 35 1-hour sessions over 7 weeks. No previous study has explored long-term EECP effects on cardiac anxiety in patients with RAP. Objective To evaluate the effects of EECP treatment in patients with RAP regarding usage of nitrates, physical capacity, cardiac anxiety and HRQoL. Methods A quasi experimental design with long-term follow-up (6 months) involving 50 patients (men=37, 47–91 years) who had finished one course of EECP. Assessment of average use of nitrates, six-minute walk test, functional class with Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification and questionnaires for cardiac anxiety and HRQoL were collected pre and post treatment. In addition, the questionnaires were collected 6 months after completion of EECP. Results Patients used significantly less nitrates (p