VASO---> sorry I assume every one has faster access to the news than I. (COMTEX) B: New Data On EECP Therapy in Heart Failure Presented At AC
B: New Data On EECP Therapy in Heart Failure Presented At ACC 2000 Scientific
Sessions
WESTBURY, NY, Mar 24, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
EECP may increase new vessel growth in the heart muscle through
stimulation of endothelial growth factors
Vasomedical, Inc. (Nasdaq:VASO) announced today that a sub-study of
the current investigation of EECP(R) therapy in heart failure,
"Improvement in Left Ventricular Performance by Enhanced External
Counterpulsation in Patients with Heart Failure", was presented by John
Gorcsan III, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, at the recent 49th
Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Anaheim,
CA. This is the latest of four abstracts presented since September 1999
on EECP therapy in heart failure.
The study was conducted on eight patients with New York Heart
Association (NYHA) functional Class II or III heart failure due to
inadequate blood flow to heart muscle, where only about 35% of the
volume of blood in the heart chamber is being ejected into the aorta.
This "ejection fraction" in normal adults is approximately 50-60%.
Medical therapy was unaltered during the study and each patient
received 35 hours of EECP therapy. Follow-up data were collected at
three- and six-months after completion of EECP therapy. All patients
showed statistically significant increases in left ventricular
function, ejection fraction and reduction in heart rate, all of which
remained improved at six months after EECP therapy. The authors
concluded that EECP therapy appears to be beneficial in heart failure
patients and may be a useful adjunct to medical therapy.
In discussing the benefits of EECP therapy to heart failure patients,
Dr. Gorcsan commented, "Several investigators have suggested that EECP
therapy increases new vessel growth in the heart muscle through the
stimulation of specialized cells in the lining of the vessel walls,
causing the release of growth factors. This is the hypothesis that most
of the existing data would support."
Dr. Peter Cohn of the State University of New York at Stony Brook
agrees: "Preliminary data have shown enhanced production of such
factors in addition to other vasoactive substances that dilate
pre-existing blood vessels. This is an important development in
understanding the significant improvement that angina patients
experience and probably also contributes to the results we are seeing
in this exciting new approach to heart failure patients."
"According to American Heart Association statistics, there are 4.9
million patients in the U.S. with heart failure. With 400,000 new cases
each year, heart failure is the single most frequent cause of
hospitalization for people age 65 and older. A recent cardiology
journal article(a) indicates that over $56 billion is spent annually in
the U.S. on the treatment and management of heart failure, of which 70%
covers patient hospitalization," added D. Michael Deignan, President
and CEO of Vasomedical. "If these early results in heart failure
patients are reproduced in larger studies and regulatory clearances the
company is pursuing are obtained, EECP therapy may have the potential
to significantly reduce the cost of treating these patients as well as
improving their quality of life."
Vasomedical, Inc. is primarily engaged in designing, manufacturing,
marketing and supporting external counterpulsation systems based on the
company's proprietary technology. EECP(R) is a registered trademark for
Vasomedical's enhanced external counterpulsation system. This system is
now in use at major medical centers, including the Mayo Clinic, the
Ochsner Foundation Hospital and the Miami Heart Institute, as well as
medical centers affiliated with SUNY at Stony Brook, Columbia
University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California
at San Diego, the University of California at San Francisco, and the
University of Virginia. The company provides hospitals, clinics and
private practices EECP(R) equipment, treatment guidance and a staff
training and maintenance program to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
(a) O'Connell JB: The economic burden of heart failure. Clinical
Cardiology 2000;23 (Suppl.III):6-10.
Except for historical information contained in this release, the
matters discussed are forward looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. When used in this release, words such as "anticipate,"
"believe," "estimate," "expect" and "intend" and similar expressions,
as they relate to the Company or its management, identify
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based
on the beliefs of the Company's management, as well as assumptions made
by and information currently available to the Company's management.
Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
are the following: the effect of business and economic conditions; the
impact of competitive products and pricing; capacity and supply
constraints or difficulties; product development, commercialization or
technological difficulties; the regulatory and trade environment; and
the risk factors reported from time to time in the Company's SEC
reports. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise any
forward-looking statements as a result of future events or
developments.
Copyright (C) 2000 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
Distributed via COMTEX.
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CONTACT: D. Michael Deignan Barry Zakar
President and CEO Director of Marketing
(516) 997-4600 Ext. 155 (516) 997-4600 Ext. 131
eecp.com/news
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MEDICAL
PHARMACEUTICAL
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