May 8, 2003
Guidant Announces CE Mark and First Implant of Newest Cardiac Resynchronization Pacemaker

The CONTAK RENEWAL TR 2 Implantable Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Pacemaker Offers Market-leading Diagnostics and Therapy

Indianapolis, Ind. and St. Paul, Minn. - Guidant Corporation (NYSE: GDT), a world leader in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease, today announced European CE Mark and first implant of its next-generation cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT-P)'"the CONTAK® RENEWAL(tm) TR 2 system. This new system builds on Guidant''s highly successful RENEWAL family of heart failure therapy devices. The RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P includes independent pacing and sensing in the right and left ventricles, as well as advanced diagnostics and programming options that assist clinicians in adjusting therapy to better meet the needs of individual patients.

"The RENEWAL TR 2 provides our most advanced cardiac resynchronization therapy now in a CRT pacemaker," said Fred McCoy, president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Guidant Corporation. "This is yet another in a growing line of Guidant CRT products purposefully designed to help physicians challenged by patients struggling with heart failure."

"We are excited to introduce this new heart failure system to our physician-customers," said Nicky Spaulding, president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Canada, Guidant Corporation. "We anticipate that the RENEWAL TR 2 system will be well accepted because it provides smart tools for patient management from implant to follow-up."

First implants of the RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P occurred at the Hanusch Krankenhaus, Vienna, Austria, by Dr. Michael Gruska and at Policlinico A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy, by Prof. Paolo Zecchi.

"Guidant''s RENEWAL family is highly regarded in Europe," said Dr. Gruska. "With its therapy flexibility and patient-centered diagnostics, the RENEWAL TR 2 device is another welcome addition to this family. Its unique features make it possible to monitor my patient''s changing condition and tailor the resynchronization therapy appropriately."

The RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P was specifically designed for heart failure patients and is placed beneath the skin, near the collarbone, to monitor heartbeats and assist as needed. It delivers small electrical impulses that may improve the timing of the heart and its pumping ability. The system contains enhanced patient-focused diagnostic capabilities that are designed for quick and easy follow-ups and are intended to help the clinician understand the patient''s changing condition and customize therapy. This new CRT-P also includes a feature that allows the clinician to control the pacing sequence of the right and left sides of the heart. This flexibility may provide additional benefit for some patients as it allows the clinician to optimize synchrony of the right and left ventricles.

Heart failure is a disease in which the heart weakens and gradually loses the ability to pump blood effectively. More than six million Europeans and nearly five million Americans currently suffer from heart failure. Approximately one million new cases of heart failure are diagnosed annually worldwide, making it the most rapidly growing cardiovascular disorder. Preliminary results from the recently announced landmark COMPANION trial indicated a reduction in the combination of all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization for people receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy as compared to optimal pharmaceutical therapy alone.

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 11,000 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. For more information visit www.guidant.com.

About the CONTAK RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P

The CONTAK RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P is Guidant''s latest cardiac resynchronization pacemaker. Designed specifically for treating heart failure patients, Guidant's RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P uses independent sensing and independent electrical stimulation to deliver appropriate pacing to both the left and right ventricles.

Features such as Guidant's exclusive Heart Rate Variability Footprint, and Activity Log'"tools that measure heart range capabilities'"are intended to help the clinician understand the patient's changing condition and customize therapy appropriately. Clinicians can access up to 116 seconds of stored electrograms'"a picture of the heart's electrical activity'"to review therapy history details and arrhythmia events, with no impact on the RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P''s excellent longevity. This new CRT-P also includes Left Ventricular Offset (LV Offset), a feature that allows the clinician to control the pacing sequence of the right and left sides of the heart.

Designed for predictable implants, the RENEWAL TR 2 CRT-P system leverages Guidant''s complete set of implant tools, which include the RAPIDO(tm) dual catheter lead delivery system and the EASYTRAK® lead family.