Oct 31, 2005
Guidant Announces Market Launch of Wireless Heart Failure Device System

Innovative Wireless System Conveniently Monitors Device Status From the Comfort of the Patient''s Home

Indianapolis, Ind. and St. Paul, Minn. - Guidant Corporation (NYSE: GDT) today announced U.S. market launch of the CONTAK RENEWAL® 3RF cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). In addition, Guidant announced that the CONTAK RENEWAL 3RF CRT-D and LATITUDE Patient Management are provided and priced as one integrated system going forward with no ongoing charges. The LATITUDE Patient Management system enables patients and physicians to conduct wireless, automatic device data uploads from the comfort and convenience of the patient''s home. LATITUDE Patient Management works only in conjunction with Guidant device systems.

"Patients with CONTAK RENEWAL 3RF and their physicians can now receive the benefits of the LATITUDE Patient Management system whenever it is ordered by the physician," said John Russell, vice president and general manager for Guidant''s Patient Management business. "LATITUDE Active Monitoring is designed to provide patients the peace of mind that comes from knowing their device is being checked daily in their home."

"I am pleased with all aspects of my experience with Guidant''s wireless telemetry in the implant setting. This wireless technology solution has enabled me to save time in the procedure and eliminate the need for a wand in the sterile field," said Charles W. Noble II, MD, FACC, Capitol City Cardiology, Columbus, Ohio. "I now look forward to making LATITUDE Patient Management an important part of the overall device and heart failure management system for my patients."

This single, integrated system consists of four features:

  • CONTAK RENEWAL 3RF CRT-D: Guidant''s first wireless enabled implantable device.
  • LATITUDE Communicator: An in-home monitoring unit that automatically and wirelessly reads implantable device information at times specified by the patient''s physician. A key feature of the communicator is LATITUDE Active Monitoring. This feature delivers confidence and assurance by performing a device check every day, for the life of the device.
  • LATITUDE Website: The secure website that provides anytime, anywhere access to, and a digital archive of, Guidant device and patient data collected by the LATITUDE Communicator. The Internet-based system provides easy access to diagnostic information from a patient''s Guidant device and the scheduling option puts the physician in control of remote data collection.
  • ZOOM LATITUDE Programmer: A wireless, LATITUDE-compatible programmer designed to save physicians time at implant and follow-up. This programmer, with the RENEWAL 3 RF CRT-D device, features programming speeds that are three times faster than Guidant''s previous programmer.

Available as an optional and separately priced component to the system is LATITUDE Heart Failure Management. LATITUDE Heart Failure Management captures and records valuable weight and blood pressure measurements, wirelessly from the patient''s home.

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company 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.

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