Apr 5, 2001
Guidant Supports Fellows Course to Educate Future Interventional Cardiologists

International Symposium Covers Latest Techniques and Technologies for Treating Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Disease

Indianapolis, Ind. and Santa Clara, Calif. - In an effort to equip the next generation of interventional cardiologists to treat their patients afflicted with cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, Guidant Corporation (NYSE and PCX: GDT), is sponsoring the 7th Annual Interventional Cardiology Fellows Course, a medical symposium of which Guidant was a founding sponsor. This yearly conference hosts hundreds of future interventional cardiologists and will continue through April 7 in San Jose, Calif.

"Guidant recognizes the importance of supporting future interventional cardiologists with the latest knowledge about their field of practice," said Ronald W. Dollens, president and chief executive officer of Guidant Corporation. "It is the desire to prepare physicians for their careers treating coronary and peripheral vascular disease that has led Guidant to sponsor this important training course since the program's inception."

The symposium features a faculty of some of the world's foremost experts in interventional cardiology. This experienced faculty's approaches to treating coronary and peripheral vascular disease are being presented as various interventional cardiology topics are discussed, including the future of interventional cardiology and the role of emerging therapies. Guidant-sponsored industry workshops cover topics such as intravascular radiotherapy, peripheral intervention and directional coronary atherectomy.

"The Interventional Cardiology Fellows Course has become an essential instructional vehicle to train physicians who will be treating many of the over 1.5 million patients each year who require an interventional procedure," commented Gregg W. Stone, M.D., FACC, of Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute in New York and course director of the Interventional Cardiology Fellows Course. "Guidant's support has been instrumental in making this program an annual event and elevating this course to truly international stature."

"This is an exciting course, both for the faculty and future interventional cardiologists," added Thomas J. Linnemeier, M.D., FACC, senior vice president, new ventures, and chief medical officer for Guidant Vascular Intervention, who serves as codirector of the Interventional Cardiology Fellows Course. Dr. Linnemeier will moderate several sessions and will serve as a panelist during the course's live case satellite transmissions.

A global leader in the medical technology industry, Guidant Corporation provides innovative, minimally invasive and cost-effective products and services for the treatment of cardiovascular and vascular disease.