Named 2007 Hot Product of the Year by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services

November 13, 2007 - PAWTUCKET, R.I.
ZOLL Medical Corporation and a manufacturer of ECG, pacing, defibrillation and multi-function electrodes, today announced that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market and sell PocketCPR™, a palm-sized device that utilizes ZOLL Medical Corporation's Real CPR Help® technology to assist in the delivery of quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chest compressions.

PocketCPR™ incorporates ZOLL's Real CPR Help into a low-cost, battery-powered rescue device. When placed on a cardiac arrest victim, the device provides the same CPR real-time audible messages as provided in the ZOLL AED Plus® and other ZOLL defibrillators. It can say "press harder" or "good compressions" to a rescuer and provides a metronome to help achieve the proper rates supporting American Heart Association 2005 Guidelines. It also provides visual feedback on depth with LED indicators. PocketCPR™ reminds rescuers to call 911 and to perform other steps in helping a victim.

The AHA Guidelines speak of the "promise for future AEDs that may prompt rescuers to improve the quality of CPR provided". Real CPR Help in Pocket CPR, AED Plus and other defibrillators directly addresses this promise. All of ZOLL's defibrillators feature Real CPR Help, which enables measurement of the actual rate and depth of chest compressions. However, not everyone who needs CPR coaching will have one of our defibrillators at the time of an emergency, and this new device fills that need, said Richard A. Packer, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZOLL. "Having Real CPR Help available in a standalone product means that more patients can have better CPR delivered immediately following a cardiac arrest, as recommended in the American Heart Association 2005 Guidelines."

For the rescuer, the hand-held device provides immediate feedback during a rescue situation. The device accurately guides a person performing CPR to the AHA-recommended 1.5 inches to 2 inches depth and 100 beats per minute rate for chest compressions. Worldwide, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) claims between 600,000 to 700,000 victims each year. Effective CPR, when delivered quickly after the onset of SCA, can dramatically increase the probability of survival.

Earlier in the year, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JMS), designated PocketCPR as one of the medical device industry's "2007 Hot Products of the Year" in recognition of its ability to assist CPR trainers in the classroom and to help students practice.

The FDA-cleared version of PocketCPR is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2008.