NAEMSE Letter to Members Warns of Critical and Fatal Implications of Missing
the Diagnosis of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Masimo, the inventor of
Pulse CO-Oximetry and Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry,
today announced the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) has issued
guidance to all its members advocating carbon monoxide screenings for patients
presenting with any of the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning or
suspected exposure. In addition, the organization is advocating enhanced
carbon monoxide training programs for all EMS professionals to help improve
outcomes and save lives.
In a letter to its membership issued earlier this month, NAEMSE said
failing to diagnose carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning during the emergency
response efforts may lead to poor pre-hospital decisions, including failure to
transport, failure to transport to an appropriate facility, failure to
properly treat and failure of the emergency department to diagnose. The
consequence of misdiagnosis can often result in returning the patient to a
poisoned environment, possibly leading to a fatal outcome. Recognizing that
CO poisoning -- the most common form of poisoning in the United States -- is
notoriously difficult to detect, NAEMSE said improved screening and
implementation of proper carbon monoxide EMS training programs "can no doubt
lead to improved outcomes for patients and potentially save many lives."
Too often, even the most skilled first responders can miss the chance to
treat carbon monoxide poisoning early because until now there hasn't been a
fast, accurate and noninvasive way to detect elevated levels of CO in the
blood. However, with the Masimo Rainbow SET Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter, EMS
professionals can easily detect carbon monoxide poisoning on the spot in just
seconds with the push of a button, allowing for prompt and possibly
life-saving treatment. In addition, Rad-57 can also limit the likelihood of
long-term cardiac and neurological damage that can result from non-fatal
exposures.
"We see first hand the overwhelming and immediate need for carbon monoxide
screening during the first response stage and the importance of standardized
carbon monoxide training protocols for EMS professionals as a matter of public
safety," said NAEMSE President Angel Burba.
NAEMSE will soon have a new online training program available to all its
members, free of charge, on their website http://www.naemse.org. The
program -- consisting of four carbon monoxide modules developed by Dr. Bryan
Bledsoe and approved by top EMS physicians and professionals -- covers the
physiological dangers of CO poisoning, its signs and symptoms, as well as
noninvasive methods for on-scene detection of CO in the blood. The modules
include downloadable student workbooks, instructor manuals and PowerPoint
slides for classroom presentation. Dr. Bryan Bledsoe is an emergency
physician, highly regarded as one of the premier educators in the EMS field,
and the leading author of numerous EMS textbooks.
Joe E. Kiani, Chairman and CEO of Masimo stated, "NAEMSE's recommendations
for proper EMS training and field screening of carbon monoxide poisoning
represents an important milestone in the establishment of new protocols for
emergency responsiveness and improved public safety. If implemented
nationwide, these recommendations will help reduce morbidity and mortality
from unsuspected cases of carbon monoxide poisoning."
About Masimo
Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI) develops innovative monitoring technologies that
significantly improve patient care -- helping solve "unsolvable" problems. In
1995, the company debuted Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse
oximetry, known as Masimo SET, and with it virtually eliminated false alarms
and increased pulse oximetry's ability to detect life-threatening events. More
than 100 independent and objective studies have confirmed that Masimo SET
technology allows clinicians to accurately monitor blood oxygen saturation in
critical care situations. Our Masimo SET platform has significantly addressed
many of the previous technology limitations, has substantially contributed to
improved patient outcomes and has been referred to by several industry sources
as the gold standard in pulse oximetry. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo
Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry, which, for the first time, noninvasively
monitors the level of carbon monoxide and methemoglobin in the blood, allowing
early detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions.
Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcomes and
Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and
Applications." Additional information about Masimo and its products may be
found at http://www.masimo.com.
Contact:
Tom McCall
Masimo Corporation
949-297-7075
Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Radical, Radical-7, Rad57,
APOD, and Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive
Monitoring to New Sites and Applications are registered trademarks of Masimo
Corp. ARM, Acoustic Respiratory Monitoring,Rainbow, SpCO, SpMet, SpHb and
Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks of Masimo Corp.
SOURCE Masimo Corporation
-0- 11/08/2007
/CONTACT: Tom McCall of Masimo Corporation, +1-949-297-7075/
/Web site: http://www.masimo.com /
(MASI)
CO: Masimo Corporation; National Association of EMS Educators
ST: California
IN: HEA MTC
SU:
MK-CJ
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7023 11/08/2007 17:49 EST http://www.prnewswire.com