Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge
09:32

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge

Published on: January 20, 2023

3.7K

Acute Effect of Enhanced External Counterpulsation on the Carotid Hemodynamic Parameters in Patients With High

Yahui Zhang1,2,3, Zhouming Mai1, Jianhang Du1,3

  • 1Department of Cardiology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.

Frontiers in Physiology
|July 5, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) acutely altered carotid hemodynamics, reducing end-diastolic velocity and increasing resistance index. Specific improvements were noted in patients with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Medical Engineering
  • Hemodynamics

Background:

  • Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is known to improve carotid circulation in coronary artery disease patients.
  • The specific hemodynamic responses in carotid arteries of patients with high cardiovascular risk factors undergoing EECP require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the acute effects of EECP on carotid artery hemodynamic parameters.
  • To analyze these effects in patients with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes, as well as healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Eighty-three subjects (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, healthy controls) received a 45-min EECP session.
  • Doppler ultrasound measured common carotid artery (CCA) hemodynamic parameters: PSV, EDV, ID, VS/VD, FR, and RI.
  • Measurements were taken before, during, and immediately after EECP.

Main Results:

  • During EECP, all groups showed reduced EDV and VS/VD, and increased RI (P < 0.01).
  • Hyperlipidemia patients experienced increased CCA ID and left CCA FR during EECP (P < 0.05).
  • Post-EECP, hyperlipidemia patients had higher ID, hypertension patients had higher RI, and type 2 diabetes patients had lower PSV and VS/VD compared to baseline.

Conclusions:

  • EECP acutely reduced EDV, PSV, VS/VD and increased RI, FR, and ID in CCAs across all groups.
  • A single EECP session yielded immediate improvements in specific hemodynamic parameters for patients with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Tailored EECP strategies may be guided by these differential hemodynamic responses in patients with distinct cardiovascular risk factors.
Abstract

Keywords:
Doppler ultrasound imagescardiovascular riskscommon carotid arteryenhanced external counterpulsationhemodynamic responses

More Related Videos

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis09:36

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis

Published on: August 12, 2025

219
Assessing Endothelial Vasodilator Function with the Endo-PAT 200007:46

Assessing Endothelial Vasodilator Function with the Endo-PAT 2000

Published on: October 15, 2010

44.0K

Related Concept Videos

Special considerations while measuring blood pressure01:28

Special considerations while measuring blood pressure

When assessing blood pressure (BP), healthcare professionals must consider various factors and potential unexpected outcomes to ensure accurate readings and provide proper patient care. Adhering to these guidelines is essential to achieving the most reliable results.
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
894
Measurement of Blood Pressure01:17

Measurement of Blood Pressure

Assessing blood pressure is a standard procedure executed in virtually all medical environments. The method utilized today was established over a hundred years ago by an innovative Russian doctor, Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff. The soft ticking noise, known as Korotkoff sounds, heard while taking blood pressure readings results from turbulent blood flow within the vessels. The apparatus required for this procedure includes a sphygmomanometer, a blood pressure cuff attached to a gauge, and a...
1.9K
Heart Failure Drugs: &#946;-Blockers01:22

Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers

β-adrenergic antagonists, commonly known as β-blockers, block the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (ADR). They have several beneficial effects in heart failure treatment. They reduce heart rate, the force of contraction, and cardiac muscle relaxation. They also slow the atrial-ventricular conduction rate and raise the threshold for arrhythmias. The concentration of β-blockers determines their effects on bronchodilation,...
530
Assessment of the Cardiovascular System III: Palpation01:27

Assessment of the Cardiovascular System III: Palpation

Palpation involves feeling the body to evaluate texture, size, consistency, and tenderness for assessing cardiovascular health. The following steps are organized in a head-to-toe order:
Jugular Venous Pressure (JVP) Measurement
Position the patient at a thirty- to forty-five-degree angle or in a semi-fowler's position. Look for the highest point of pulsation in the internal jugular vein and measure the vertical distance to the angle of Loius or sternal angle. A normal JVP is 3-4 cm above...
635
Pulse01:16

Pulse

When the heart pumps blood out, arterial elastic fibers play a crucial role in sustaining a high-pressure gradient. They expand to accommodate the received blood and then recoil - a process known as the pulse that can be either manually palpated or electronically quantified. Despite a reduction in its effect with increased distance from the heart, elements of the pulse's systolic and diastolic components persist, observable even at the arteriole level.
The pulse serves as a clinical...
1.4K
Exercise and Cardiac Output01:17

Exercise and Cardiac Output

Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health, with aerobic exercises being particularly effective. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic exercise per week is recommended for a healthy heart. Aerobic activities may include brisk walking, running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and swimming, ideally performed three to five times per week.
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
1.5K