An apparatus and method for treating a mammal or other living organism
having a heart and a peripheral vascular system to achieve a heart load
reduction, said organism having a pulse rate and a systolic pressure
resulting from the action of the heart, the method and apparatus
involving the steps of measuring the heart rhythm, producing pressure
pulsations in the peripheral vascular system by a non-invasive or
invasive method in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the
counterpulsation mode and varying at least one parameter of an input
system generating said pressure pulsations to produce an optimised
reduction in at least one of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure
and hereby a net reduction in said heart load, said heart load being a
function of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure.
