Cardiac Science defibrillators meet new European and American guidelines
23 April 2006
Washington, USA. Cardiac Science Corporation (NASDAQ:CSCX), has shipped
two new models of its Powerheart automated external defibrillators (AEDs)
that meet new American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care, as well as
the recently released European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines for
resuscitation.
All new Powerheart models will fully incorporate and comply with the new
guidelines. Powerheart AEDs currently in use today are capable of being
reconfigured to support the new guidelines and the company plans to offer
software updates to existing customers to facilitate implementation of the
new guidelines-compliant software in previously deployed Powerhearts during
2006.
Powerheart AEDs include patented Rescue Ready technology, a critical
"self-monitoring" feature which conducts a daily self-diagnostic test of the
battery and internal circuitry, and also confirms that the defibrillator
pads are connected and capable of delivering therapy. Since an AED is called
upon to potentially save the life of a heart attack victim, it is imperative
that advance notice to the user is provided if the device requires service
to assure the AED will function when needed to rescue a sudden cardiac
arrest victim.
Powerheart AEDs also incorporate the company's patented RHYTHMx analysis
software, as well as its STAR biphasic shock technology, which determines,
based on each patient's unique physiology, the amount of defibrillation
energy needed to successfully restore a victim's heartbeat.
About AEDs
According to the AHA, the odds of surviving sudden cardiac arrest
decrease by approximately 10 percent for every minute that passes, and wide
deployment of AEDs could save as many as 50,000 lives in the United States
annually. AEDs are designed to quickly and easily provide a life-saving
defibrillation shock to restore normal heart rhythm to a cardiac arrest
victim and, as appropriate, to instruct the user to perform CPR in order to
temporarily circulate oxygenated blood to the brain and body of a victim who
is unable to sustain circulation.
AEDs are currently used by first responders such as police, fire and
ambulance personnel. They are also increasingly being deployed at places
where people gather or work, such as airplanes, airports, train stations,
corporate offices, factories, schools, shopping malls, stadiums,
restaurants, casinos and federal, state, municipal and commercial buildings.
About the new AHA guidelines
The new AHA guidelines are based on the evidence evaluation from the 2005
International Consensus Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and
Emergency Cardiovascular Care, which was hosted by the AHA last year. The
guidelines contain recommendations designed to improve survival from sudden
cardiac arrest and acute life threatening cardiopulmonary problems.
The recommendations in the new guidelines confirm the safety and efficacy
of many approaches, acknowledge that other approaches may not be optimal,
and recommend new treatments that have undergone evidence evaluation.
However, the AHA has emphasized that these new and revised treatment
recommendations do not imply that care involving the use of earlier
guidelines is unsafe.
For more information about the new AHA guidelines, visit the AHA website
at www.americanheart.org
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