New Product: First Hospital to Deploy the ZOLL Autopulse

Uintah Basin Medical Center First Utah Hospital to Deploy

ZOLL Autopulse

ZOLL Medical Corporation (NASDAQ: ZOLL), a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, today reported that Uintah Basin Medical Center (UBMC) is the first hospital in the state of Utah to deploy the ZOLL AutoPulse® Non-invasive Cardiac Support Pump. Based in Roosevelt, Utah (approximately 85 miles east of Provo), UBMC has deployed one AutoPulse in the hospital's emergency department, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, four AutoPulse devices are deployed on UBMC's ambulance fleet, which serves more than 22,000 residents in a 3,200-square-mile area.

Commenting on the AutoPulse, UBMC's EMT Director Von Johnson said, "Given we are in a rural area, having this kind of device that can do near-perfect CPR chest compressions is critical given the length of our transport times, which can be more than an hour. CPR performed using the AutoPulse is more consistent and efficient because it minimizes chest-compression interruptions and helps our medics in the field-and our clinicians in the ER-be able to do more for the patient. By having another rescuer available to help with life-saving interventions in lieu of doing manual chest compressions, we can provide better care for our cardiac arrest patients."

About the AutoPulse
The major emphasis of 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines is on performing effective, high-quality CPR. The 2005 Guidelines now recommend that when attempting defibrillation, rescuers should deliver 1 shock followed by immediate CPR, beginning with chest compressions for 2 minutes. Furthermore, the Guidelines note that the better the chest compressions performed (i.e., with adequate rate and depth and allowing complete chest recoil), the more blood flow they produce. The more interruptions in chest compressions, the worse the victim's chance of survival from cardiac arrest.* According to the 2005 Guidelines, load-distributing band CPR (LDB-CPR), which the AutoPulse utilizes, "may be considered for use by properly trained personnel as an adjunct to CPR for patients with cardiac arrest in the out-of-hospital or in-hospital setting (Class IIb)."

The AutoPulse—the only device of its kind—delivers the consistent, uninterrupted chest compressions that the new AHA Guidelines are calling for. It is an automated, portable device with an easy-to-use, load-distributing LifeBand® that squeezes the entire chest in a consistent, uninterrupted "hands-free" manner, improving blood flow to the heart and brain during cardiac arrest.* Additionally, it offers the benefit of freeing up rescuers to focus on other life-saving interventions.