HDII Announces Issuance of Two U.S. Patents
This news should go a long way in attaining reimbursement status for the Profilor -Scott
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Hypertension Diagnostics Announces Issuance of Two U.S. Patents
Thursday February 22, 1:05 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc.
ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc. (Nasdaq SmallCap: HDII; HDIIW; HDIIU), today announced the issuance of two U.S. patents relating to HDI's CardioVascular Profiling Systems. Both patent applications were filed during March 1998.
U.S. Patent No. 6,159,166 entitled ``Sensor and Method for Sensing Arterial Pulse Pressure'' was invented by Dr. Charles F.Chesney, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of HDI, and others, and is assigned to HDI. This patent describes the mechanical and electronic features as well as the basic method for fabricating the Arterial PulseWave(TM) Sensor which is a key component of HDI's CardioVascular Profiling Systems. This Sensor includes a one-half-inch diameter housing constructed of stainless steel, a piezoelectric device for sensing blood pressure waveform signals and a self-contained signal amplifier.
The second patent, No. 6,132,383, entitled ``Apparatus for Holding and Positioning an Arterial Pulse Pressure Sensor'' was also invented by Dr. Chesney and others, and is also assigned to HDI. This patent describes a device which is complimentary to the first patent in that the Sensor is attached to the device so that the Sensor may be precisely positioned on the skin overlying the radial artery on a patient's wrist. The invention includes a simple mechanical method for carefully adjusting hold-down pressure over the radial artery in order to enhance blood pressure waveform signal strength. Further, the patent suggests the use of a wrist stabilizer which is strapped onto the patient's wrist to minimize artifacts and noise due to motion during the collection of waveform signals.
Greg H. Guettler, President of HDI, said, ``These two patents are important for Hypertension Diagnostics. They further protect our intellectual property portfolio, now consisting of nine patents issued in the U.S., one issued in each of Europe and Japan, as well as several pending patent applications. Their issuance comes at a particularly opportune time, since we have just recently received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the CVProfilor(TM) DO-2020 CardioVascular Profiling System, which employs the newly patented Sensor and apparatus.''
The CVProfilor(TM) DO-2020 CardioVascular Profiling System utilizes HDI's patented, proprietary and validated blood pressure waveform analysis technology to determine both large and small artery elasticity indices. These indices can be used as an initial clinical screening device to determine if patients have potential underlying vascular disease that might require more specific diagnostic evaluation. The CVProfilor(TM) System also measures blood pressure values, and calculates pulse pressure, body surface area (BSA) and body mass index (BMI). The System is non-invasive, user-friendly, designed for use in physician offices and clinics, and involves no specific medical risk to the patient.
Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary cardiovascular profiling systems for clinical and research applications. These systems carry the Underwriters Labs label and the CE Mark of quality, and they are marketed to physicians, other health care professionals and researchers by a direct sales force and via distributors throughout the world. In addition to providing blood pressure values, the systems can non-invasively detect subtle changes in the compliance or elasticity of both large and small arteries which is a unique feature of HDI's technology.
(abridged)
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