Initial clinical experience with extracorporeal shock wave therapy in treatment of ischemic heart failure.

Previous experimental studies have suggested a beneficial effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in patients with ischemic heart failure. Twenty-four patients with ischemic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% received ESWT in addition to their stable treatment. ESWT was performed in 9 sessions with 100 shocks per spot in viable segments detected by dobutamine stress echocardiography.