CHELMSFORD, MASS.-ZOLL Medical Corporation (NASDAQ: ZOLL), a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, today announced that it is shipping a new version of the AED Pro® automated external defibrillator, with Real CPR Help(tm), with features that can be used to implement the 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines. The AED Pro now supports the new recommendation of a universal compression-to-ventilation ratio of 30:2 for single rescuers. The AHA made this recommendation to provide longer periods of uninterrupted chest compressions.
Since 2002, ZOLL has offered CPR-support technology in its AEDs, making it the first manufacturer to recognize the importance of helping rescuers with CPR delivery. To date, ZOLL estimates that 500,000 rescuers have access to ZOLL AEDs that can help them perform high-quality CPR.
“ZOLL recognized that real-time CPR support was an important element of AED use, since about half of all victims who suddenly collapse initially require defibrillation. For the other victims, who may have non-shockable heart rhythms, the critical action for survival is effective CPR,” said Richard A. Packer, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZOLL. “The strong emphasis on CPR in the 2005 AHA Guidelines affirms our vision from 2002, and we expect to continue to lead the industry in this area. ZOLL will continue to make CPR feedback technology an integral part of all of our resuscitation products. Furthermore, we believe that the implementation of the 2005 AHA Guidelines will help drive widespread adoption of this technology.”
The 2005 AHA Guidelines emphasize that high-quality CPR, especially chest compressions, is critical to helping save lives. In addition, the Guidelines recommend that to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), “rescuers must rapidly integrate CPR with the use of the AED.” ZOLL first offered CPR technology in the AED Plus(tm), which was launched four years ago, with the invention of the CPR-D pad z(tm) electrode.
First introduced in February 2005, the AED Pro offers advanced capabilities for professional rescuers, including ECG monitoring with standard ECG electrodes; combined AED capability with manual defibrillation, with controlled access for ALS users; and unmatched ruggedness and durability. Developed for extreme environments, the AED Pro is the only AED in the industry to pass a 1.5-meter drop test. The AED Pro also has an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, the same rating for electronics used in the boating industry. This design allows the AED Pro to perform in harsh weather and other extreme conditions that professional rescuers encounter every day.
The AED Pro and the AED Plus use a special electrode set, known as the CPR-D pad z, which includes a sensor that measures the rate and depth of chest compressions. This Real CPR Help functionality offers rescuers instantaneous feedback on the rate and depth of chest compressions. The AED Pro converts compression data from the CPR-D -pad z and provides visual and audible feedback, such has “Push Harder” or “Good Compressions,” as needed. In this manner, rescuers have ongoing feedback that tells them-via audible and visual prompts-how well they are delivering chest compressions, thus circulating blood to help sustain the life of a cardiac arrest victim.
About ZOLL Medical Corporation
ZOLL Medical Corporation is committed to developing technologies that help advance the practice of resuscitation. With products for pacing, defibrillation, circulation, ventilation, and fluid resuscitation, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS professionals, and lay rescuers resuscitate sudden cardiac arrest or trauma victims. ZOLL also designs and markets software that automates the documentation and management of both clinical and non-clinical information.
ZOLL markets and sells its products in more than 140 countries. The Company has direct operations, distributor networks, and business partners throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. For more information, visit
www.zoll.com or call
+1 (978) 421-9655.
Certain statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking” statements (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, ZOLL’s ability to compete; acceptance of its resuscitation products; changes in regulations affecting the healthcare industry; general economic conditions; and those other factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in ZOLL’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2006.
© 2006 ZOLL Medical Corporation. All rights reserved. 269 Mill Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824-4105. AED Plus, CPR-D pad z, and Real CPR Help are trademarks of ZOLL Medical Corporation. AED Pro and ZOLL are registered trademarks of ZOLL Medical Corporation. All product names are the property of their respective owners.