PDSHeart and Medtronic Partner to Bring Automated Defibrillators to Home Use

Strategic Insights -

PDSHeart, Inc. has announced a partnership with Medtronic, Inc. to offer a monthly turnkey service plan providing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for patients to use at home. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 450,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, with nearly 80% happening in the home. With out-of-hospital survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest at around 5%, the need for accessible AEDs has never been more pressing. Recent changes to Medicare guidelines now allow patients to rent-to-own the life-saving AED technology, making it an affordable option for those at high risk.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partnership between PDSHeart and Medtronic aims to provide AEDs to high-risk patients at an affordable cost, with no added expense to physician practices.
  • The Medtronic LIFEPAK CR Plus AEDs will be provided through the PDSHeart program, which is designed for use by non-medical personnel.
  • AEDs can dramatically improve survival rates when used within 3-4 minutes, with studies showing up to 70% of victims surviving such events.
  • The risk of sudden cardiac death is greatly reduced when patients have quick access to an AED, with post-myocardial infarction patients at the greatest risk for up to 18 months.
  • The LIFEPAK CR Plus AED features a fully automatic system that analyzes the heart's rhythm and delivers a shock if needed, eliminating the need for extensive medical knowledge to operate.

Statistics:

  • Up to 450,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, with nearly 80% occurring in the home.
  • Out-of-hospital survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest are approximately 5%.
  • AEDs can improve survival rates by up to 70% when used within 3-4 minutes.
  • Post-myocardial infarction patients are at the greatest risk for sudden cardiac death for up to 18 months.
  • Every minute that passes after cardiac arrest reduces the chance of survival by 10%.

Sources:

  • [NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net]
  • [American Heart Association]
  • [PDSHeart, Inc.]
  • [Medtronic, Inc.]