New Capabilities for Defibrillator/Monitor

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The device, called Lifepak 12, combines defibrillation therapy with pressure monitoring in a single, portable device designed for easy use by emergency responders and medical personnel. Use of a single device reduces training requirements.

Trending of vital signs such as heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure over time produces a record to aid therapeutic decisions. Trending of the electrocardiogram's ST segment displacement changes is useful for patients who may be at risk for ischemia, which can cause a heart attack. Such trending facilitates risk stratification and helps to monitor the effectiveness of therapy. Invasive pressure monitoring is commonly used in critical care and emergency departments. Lifepak 12 is the product of Medtronic Physio-Control (Redmond, WA, USA).

"Customers tell us that the ability to monitor invasive pressure in a compact therapeutic device will greatly benefit a certain percentage of patients, and trending has never before been offered in a defibrillator/monitor,” noted Richard O. Martin, president, Medtronic Physio-Control.



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Medtronic Physio-Control