May 28, 2002
Guidant Announces Market Launch and First U.S. Implant of Advanced Pacemaker System

New Platform Offers Advanced Therapy, Comprehensive Patient Management and Ease-of-Use Features

Indianapolis, Ind. and St. Paul, Minn. - Guidant Corporation (NYSE and PCX: GDT), a world leader in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease, today announced market launch and first U.S. implant of its newest pacemaker line-the INSIGNIA(tm) family of pacemakers. The INSIGNIA pacing system represents Guidant's next premium pacemaker offering and features industry-leading therapies and patient management features.

"The INSIGNIA family of pacemakers represents a new generation of Guidant devices designed with ease-of-use in mind," said Fred McCoy, president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Guidant. "We anticipate that the INSIGNIA family's innovative feature-set and new shape will provide tangible benefits to both patient and clinician."

The INSIGNIA pacing system's unique teardrop shape and smaller size give the device a more physiologic dimension intended to provide greater patient comfort and to facilitate its insertion during implantation. In addition to being smaller than previous Guidant pacemakers, this new platform offers improved longevity over its predecessors. The pacemaker also includes ease-of-use features that allow the clinician to easily and quickly perform a comprehensive set of patient follow-up tests.

The first U.S. implant of an INSIGNIA Plus pacemaker occurred at Babies Hospital/Columbia Presbyterian in New York City on May 24, 2002, in an 18-month old child. Dr. Robert Pass, director of arrhythmia services, commented, "With the INSIGNIA system, I can give my patients a small, physiologic pacemaker without compromising therapy, diagnostics or longevity." Three adult patients at Columbia Presbyterian also received an INSIGNIA pacing system later that day.

This pacemaker family exemplifies Guidant's commitment to providing advanced therapy by offering its proprietary blended-sensor technology. This technology is designed to measure patient workload through respiration and motion, providing optimal rate response based on the patient's activity. The INSIGNIA pacing system offers comprehensive patient management by offering 110 seconds of dual channel Electrogram (EGM) storage-nearly three times the EGM storage of previous Guidant devices and the most available on the market today. EGMs give the physician a recording of the electrical activity occurring within the heart. Increased EGM storage contributes to greater diagnostic accuracy.

This exciting addition to Guidant's product line, in conjunction with Guidant's new extendableetractable pacing lead, the FLEXTEND® lead, provides physicians with a full-featured and easy-to-use system for treating bradycardia. The quick-booting ZOOM® programmer enables full use of the system's powerful diagnostic capabilities. The INSIGNIA pacemaker received FDA approval on March 20, 2002. Worldwide launch will occur in early June.

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture of more than 10,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life's most threatening medical conditions.