First Statewide Public Access Defibrillation Program in the U.S. Aims to Improve Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivability
RENO, NV and BOTHELL, WA – Leading local health organizations in the State of Nevada partnered today along with Cardiac Science Corporation, a global leader in advanced cardiac monitoring and defibrillation products, to announce the formation of Nevada Project Heartbeat, the first state-wide Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program in the United States.
Nevada Project Heartbeat’s goal is to improve Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) survivability in the State of Nevada. It aims to accomplish this goal by raising the average citizen’s awareness of SCA, and by providing places of business, public agencies, and other organizations with the tools and training needed to make Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) available, accessible, and affordable.
The key to surviving sudden cardiac arrest is the speed with which cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with defibrillation can be delivered. In addition to CPR, most cardiac arrest victims need an immediate defibrillation to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. If a victim receives defibrillation within one minute of the SCA, there is a 90% chance of resuscitation. If a victim must wait ten minutes for defibrillation, the chance of survival drops to less than 5%.
“We want to make widely available the tools and training that will strengthen the average citizen’s role as the first responder in a cardiac emergency,” said Fergus Laughridge, Program Manager for Emergency Medical Services at the Nevada State Health Division. “If every citizen knows how to recognize the early signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, activate the emergency response system, and use an AED, then we can significantly improve the likelihood of surviving a SCA in Nevada, whether it occurs in Reno, Las Vegas or points in between, like Gabbs, population 318.”
“The AHA recognizes four links in the chain of survival. Early detection, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced care,” said J.W. Hodge, Public Education Manager at Reno-based Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA). “With more AEDs in the community, trained citizens become part of the emergency response system, increasing the likelihood that the four links can quickly and properly work together to save a life.”
Nevada Project Heartbeat is sponsored by a partnership of local Nevada healthcare organizations that had previously facilitated the deployment of more than 500 AEDs in their own communities across the State. The partners include REMSA, which will provide CPR and AED training in accordance with the latest American Heart Association guidelines and medical oversight for participating AED sites in urban areas; the Nevada State Health Division, Emergency Medical Services, which will set and maintain the training standards for CPR with an AED; the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Center for Education and Health Services Outreach and Office of Rural Health, which has deployed AEDs in Nevada with federal grants for AED deployment in rural areas; and Humboldt County General Hospital, which will train and oversee participating rural sites. Humboldt General has administered its own rural PAD program since 2005.
“Our hope is that Humboldt County’s PAD program will be a model for other rural communities in Nevada,” said Pat Songer, Emergency Response Services Coordinator at Humboldt County General Hospital. “When more victims of SCA arrive at the hospital alive, treatment and rehabilitation can restore heart health. The recent saves in Humboldt County that occurred with previously deployed AEDs prove that this model works, and we are excited to bring it to the rest of the State.”
Cardiac Science Corporation has been selected as the program’s preferred manufacturer. The Company will provide the program with Powerheart® brand AEDs, and the partnership will use Cardiac Science’s MasterTrak™ software to manage the Powerheart AEDs that are deployed across the state.
In practical terms, Nevada Project Heartbeat will help a variety organizations such as fire and EMS departments, educational institutions, places of business, and healthcare and municipal facilities to set up and operate their own, localized PAD programs wherever the public may congregate. Nevada Project Heartbeat will provide participating organizations with access to the following services:
Preferred pricing for AEDs through Cardiac Science;
Medical oversight, including physician validation of training, standards, and procedures;
Training in CPR with AED;
Program Maintenance, including record keeping and data collection;
Consulting on site selection and deployment;
Incident management;
Protection against loss, damage or liability associated with an AED deployment.
“Cardiac Science has worked closely with community-based organizations to supply and service PAD programs in cities across the country, and is an expert in supporting the creation of Heartsafe environments,” said Mike Brode, Cardiac Science’s Director of Strategic Business. “To roll out such a program on a state-wide basis takes exceptional vision and a finely tuned organization. The Nevada team has assembled an impressive infrastructure and their peerless commitment to protecting the lives of its citizens is inspiring. We have every confidence that Nevada Project Heartbeat will be an outstanding success, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
“Single-city PAD programs have become fairly common in the U.S. and have been very successful,” noted Julie Redding, Program Coordinator, Nevada Rural AED Grant Program at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Office of Rural Health. “It is our hope that Nevada’s statewide program will inspire health professionals in the rest of the country to think creatively about how to design effective, accessible defibrillation programs that can have a broader impact. The University of Nevada, School of Medicine, Office of Rural Health is proud to be a partner in this effort.”
About Nevada Project Heartbeat
For more information on how your organization can establish and benefit from a Heartsafe environment, visit Nevada Project Heartbeat at www.padprograms.com/nevada. You may also call the Nevada Project Heartbeat contacts listed in with this release. Whichever method of contact you choose, do it today. SCA knows no barriers. The life you save may be your own.
About Powerheart
Powerheart brand automated external defibrillators provide reliable, safe, and easy to use cardiac monitoring and defibrillation technology. Powerheart AEDs feature RHYTHMx™ software which detects abnormal heart rhythms, determines whether they are life-threatening, and only delivers a shock when needed. Powerheart AEDs also feature the patented RescueReady® technology, which automatically tests the device on a frequent basis to ensure continued functionality. Powerheart’s STAR® Biphasic Waveform Technology provides levels of escalating energy customized to the patient. Powerheart AEDs are used by hospitals, police and fire departments, as well as many public access facilities including major corporations, public agencies, airlines and airports, arenas, schools, hotels, casinos and consumers. For more information about Powerheart, go to www.powerheart.com.
About Cardiac Science Corporation
Cardiac Science is truly at the heart of saving lives. The Company develops, manufactures, and markets a family of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic cardiology devices and systems, including AEDs, electrocardiographs, stress test systems, Holter monitoring systems, hospital defibrillators, cardiac rehabilitation telemetry systems, patient monitor - defibrillators and cardiology data management systems. Cardiac Science also sells a variety of related products and consumables, and provides a comprehensive portfolio of training, maintenance and support services. The Company is the successor to various entities that have owned and operated cardiology-related businesses that sold products under the trusted brand names Burdick®, Powerheart®, and Quinton®. Cardiac Science is headquartered in Bothell, WA, and also has operations in Lake Forest, California; Deerfield, Wisconsin; Shanghai, China and Manchester, United Kingdom.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” anticipate,” variations of such words, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. Forward looking statements in this press release include those that infer or imply that our distribution partner will successfully display, promote and distribute our AEDs, that our Powerheart AED products will be successful in the marketplace, and that this agreement will increase our sales and profits derived from our AEDs and our other products. These statements, including their underlying assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Results may differ due to various factors such as the possibility that the distribution relationship described in this release may be modified or terminated early; that the distribution partner may not generate sales of our AEDs to the extent expected; or that sales of our AEDs may fall short of projections due to unforeseen developments. Other risk factors that could cause or contribute to such varying results are described in our annual report for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The statements in this press release speak as of the date of the release, and Cardiac Science Corporation undertakes no duty or obligation to update the information provided herein.