MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2006--The Medtronic Foundation today announced its founding sponsorship of Parent Heart Watch, a first-of-its-kind national network of families who have lost children to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) - the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function that takes the lives of approximately 335,000 Americans each year. The Foundation will assist the new group in raising awareness about SCA prevalence in adolescent populations, advocating for cardiac screening, prevention and treatment, and increasing access to automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, which provide brief but powerful electrical stimulation to restore the heart's natural rhythm.

More than 40 families from 30 states will attend the inaugural Leadership Symposium this week in Las Vegas in a first step to build a national network of parent champions that can advocate for policy changes across the nation.

"The families of Parent Heart Watch are moving from their tragic losses to action that can protect other children," said Joan Mellor, program manager for the Foundation's HeartRescue program. "Individually they have changed laws, placed hundreds of AEDs in local communities, and conducted screening events for thousands of youth. Bringing together the energy and focus of these passionate families to become one strong voice will protect even more young lives from sudden cardiac arrest." The Medtronic Foundation has long supported the initiation of defibrillation awareness and training programs in communities worldwide.

Parent Heart Watch grew from the friendship of Linette Derminer, Geneva, Ohio; Sharon Bates, Phoenix, Ariz.; Rachel Moyer, Shawnee on Delaware, Pa.; and Laura Friend, Dallas, Tex., all of whom lost their children, to sudden cardiac arrest resulting from undiagnosed heart problems. Undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic disease in which the heart muscle thickens abnormally, is a leading cause of SCA among children, many whom are active and seemingly healthy. "Early detection, education, awareness and proper placement of AEDs can reduce that toll" said Derminer. "It is this group's mission to affect change so that we can offer young people a choice of life."

When SCA strikes, the American Heart Association recommends that defibrillation be delivered within five minutes, when chances of survival are best. For every minute that elapses after SCA, the chances of survival diminish by about 10 percent. It typically takes medical emergency response teams from six to 12 minutes to arrive, with survival rates now hovering around 5 percent. Placing AEDs in public places, such as stadiums, schools and businesses, and training laypersons to use the devices is a major focus of community efforts across the nation to save more lives. Studies show that survival rates as high as 74 percent are possible when defibrillation is given within three minutes of collapse.

About Parent Heart Watch

Parent Heart Watch (www.parentheartwatch.org.) is a non-profit state-by-state network of parents dedicated to reduce the often disastrous effect of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in children. It facilitates information-sharing, support networks, and the formulation of
nationwide programs that (1) raise awareness of the potential for Sudden Cardiac Arrest in young people, (2) build champions leading the effort in each state, (3) provide tools to empower groups to act locally, and (4) effect public policy changes that save lives.

About Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world. The Medtronic Foundation is committed to helping people live healthy and productive lives. Its grant making is focused in three specific areas: health, education and community.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

Medtronic

Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic.

We lead global healthcare technology and boldly attack the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world.

In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary.

More from Medtronic