The innovative stent and catheter producer Alvimedica has announced a long-term commitment to support Stent for Life, a European initiative that aims to reduce the number of fatalities from heart attacks through awareness education and improved patient access to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI), a life-saving, non-surgical procedure.
 
Alvimedica has agreed to become a Platinum Partner of Stent for Life, the highest level of partnership, whereby it will provide medical staff training and patient education in Stent for Life member countries.

Improved access to life-saving procedures

Established in 2009 by a group of leading heart specialists, Stent for Life’s mission is to increase access to pPCI. This procedure is the most effective means of treating STEMI-type* heart attacks, which are caused by severely obstructed main coronary arteries. Although pPCI must be initiated rapidly to prevent long-term damage to the heart – ideally within two hours of a STEMI – the need for such an intervention is often not spotted in a timely way.
 
“In the last few years we have seen radical breakthroughs in cardiology whereby minimally invasive procedures are saving thousands of lives and improving the quality of life of heart patients,” said Dr. Cem Bozkurt, CEO of Alvimedica. “We are determined to do what we can to improve access to these improvements and are delighted to have a chance to do so through the Stent for Life program.”
 
In Europe, current access to pPCI ranges from as low as 5% to as high as 92%. Stent for Life’s goal is to increase these levels to above 70%. Countries that have joined the initiative have made swift progress in addressing lack of access and delayed treatment. For instance, while in 2009 only 9% of Greeks had access to pPCI, in 2011 the level of coverage had increased to 32%. To date 13 national cardiac societies have joined Stent for Life. Their efforts are spurring the medical community, industry, government, and patient groups to work together to shape health care systems and medical practices to improve access to this life-saving procedure.
 
PPCI outperforms standard procedures

PPCI is a non-surgical procedure that entails re-opening blocked arteries, usually through the use of small metal scaffolds called stents.  Stents provide vital support for the walls of the artery, thus keeping the artery open and reducing the chance of a dangerous blockage recurring.
 
In the past, treatments for complete blockage of a coronary artery, the main cause of heart attacks, involved major invasive surgical approaches with long recovery periods and a heavy impact on the patient’s standard of living. Invasive bypass heart surgeries are now being challenged by minimally invasive approaches such as pPCI and thrombolysis. Abundant scientific evidence indicates that these newer procedures have shorter recovery times, fewer side effects, and reduce the recurrence of heart attack and stroke compared to the previous standard of care.
 
Innovative stents and catheters

Alvimedica specializes in the manufacture of next-generation stents and catheters, particularly those used in percutaneous coronary interventions. The company is the market leader in its field in Turkey and sells to 30 countries worldwide. Backed by a strong research and development department run from Assen, the Netherlands, Alvimedica produces over 1,000 products in 10 different lines. Alvimedica also has dedicated research and development facilities near Istanbul, Turkey, and collaborates in research with leading universities worldwide.
 
*STEMI stands for ST-elevated myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack. Heart attacks are the leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. 

About Stent for Life

Stent for Life aims to improve the delivery of care and patient access to primary percutaneous coronary intervention, thereby reducing mortality and morbidity in patients suffering from acute coronary syndromes (ACS). National cardiac societies in 13 countries have signed a declaration that effective actions will be taken to fulfill theStent for Life mission in their country. These countries include Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain and Turkey. Recently Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Siberian District of a Russian Federation joined the Initiative. Each country is implementing an action program to increase patient access to pPCI.Stent for Life was established by the coalition of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and EuroPCR, at the EAPCI General assembly during the ESC Annual Congress 2009 in Barcelona. www.stentforlife.com
 
About Alvimedica

Founded in 2007, Alvimedica specializes in next-generation stents and catheters that are revolutionizing minimally invasive interventional cardiology, saving lives, and improving the quality of life of heart patients worldwide. Its state-of-the-art production site in Catalca, Turkey, boasts one of the world’s largest cleanrooms. Its research and development centers in Assen, the Netherlands, and Catalca, Turkey have produced an interventional cardiology portfolio consisting of over 1,000 products in 10 product lines. A commitment to excellence and quality has helped Alvimedica establish market leadership in Turkey, where the company has its production facility. Alvimedica is growing rapidly and plans to extend beyond the 30 countries in which it already has a sales presence. Its catalogue includes its leading-edge sirolimus-eluting stent Coracto, world-class stainless steel and cobalt-chromium bare metal stents, angioplasty balloons, guiding catheters and guide wires. The company intends to continue to revolutionize the interventional cardiology market with the development of a fully biodegradable coronary stent that can be completely absorbed by the human body once its task is completed. www.alvimedica.com

Green Place @ Media Wise

Green Place @ Media Wise

The Green Place is a programme of Media Wise. Media Wise is a boutique strategic corporate communications and PR agency that is based in Amsterdam and works globally . The Green Place offers targeted policy and strategy development, stakeholder engagement initiatives, mapping of partnerships, sustainability and CR reporting assistance and communications strategy all uniquely designed to integrate corporate values with the triple bottom line. We help our clients embed their core values and corporate branding into a complete innovative CR message that fully engages their stakeholders and adds value to the business.

More from Green Place @ Media Wise