ECP Clinical Application Specialists suggest covering the patient’s lower extremities with a blanket during IECP therapy. This actually has two interesting benefits: first, the warmth from the blanket may serve to vasodilate the vascul...

Some of ECP therapists noted that encouraging patients to wear cotton shirts/tops (instead of polyester blends or nylon blends) had a very positive impact on reducing ECG artefacts. They also discovered that emptying shirt pockets of pens, e...

Positive R-waves are easier for the ECP treatment systems to “read”. Reversing the positions of the positive and negative ECG electrodes can provide a positively deflected R-wave. Don’t forget - thorough skin p...

Weigh the patient before each ECP treatment hour in his/her treatment pants to minimize differences due to different clothing. Change in body weight is a very reliable alert to changes in fluid status. An increase in weight grea...

Obese, female patients can be a challenge when attaining a stable ECG. An effective ECG lead placement (after thorough skin prep with alcohol and NuPrep, and the addition of ECG Conductive Gel to a good stress test electrode) is...

Some experienced ECP clinicians worldwide prefer nitropaste sublingual or spray nitroglycerin to improve augmentation. Nitroglycerin belongs to the group of medicines called nitrates. It relaxes the blood vessels and incr...

Ativan (Lorazepam) 0.5mg can be given sub-lingually to patients that present with anxiety and tachycardia. Within 5 minutes of administration, the patient is usually calmer and the heart rate is decreased. But it’s something to keep in...

Check the diabetic patients’ blood sugar levels daily before starting ECP therapy. If the level is less than 80, the patient can be routinely given something to eat and drink....

If the proper size cuffs prove too long for a patient and the lower thigh cuff extends over the patient’s knees: a. Apply the calf cuffs first, placing a piece of sheepskin behind the patient’s knees and secur...

During the Cold weather mainly in the Northern parts of the country, cold hands are a problem and that makes getting a stable finger plethysmograph tracing a challenge. Here are some things to try: Encourage your patients to put their gloves...

For patients having a history of lumbar surgeries and chronic back pain, you can try initially to put support under their knees to minimise lumbar strain, if it does not help then you can try the prone position though difficult in an ergonom...

Generally, it is preferable to have the patient receive IECP therapy before dialysis as the increased intravascular volume increases diastolic augmentation and venous return. Conversely, the increased vascular volume could potentially reduce...