Association heightens awareness for significant public health hazard of CO
poisoning and advises screening of CO levels in the blood as a way to meet the challenge and improve the quality of care
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI),
the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion
pulse oximetry, today announced that the National Association of Emergency
Medical Technicians (NAEMT) supports the use of routine field screening
protocols for the detection of elevated carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the
blood of any patient presenting with suspected exposure or symptoms.
In a letter to its members and EMS professionals this month, NAEMT
highlighted that "failure to diagnose may lead to improper treatment and
transport decisions for victims of carbon monoxide poisoning" and recommended
proper CO training, along with noninvasive detection protocols for the
recognition and management of carbon monoxide poisoning, by all field EMS
personnel as a way to improve patient care and protect the public from the
"significant public health hazard" of carbon monoxide. The introduction of
four new CO training programs, available free to NAEMT members online helps
the association build awareness and promote adequate protocols for addressing
this public health challenge.
NAEMT joins other industry-leading emergency first responder associations,
including the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) and the
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), who have recently issued
similar recommendations that EMS and fire professionals "noninvasively screen
patients for carbon monoxide poisoning that have had a suspected exposure, or
present with any of the signs or symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning." These
organizations are examples of a growing trend within the emergency services
industry and the convergence toward a new standard of care for the proactive
screening of CO-exposed patients and emergency services personnel by newly
developed Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) technology.
NAEMT President Jerry Johnston said, "The new training programs are
designed to close the knowledge gap between carbon monoxide poisoning and
available noninvasive respiratory gas monitoring tools, like Pulse
CO-Oximetry, for both EMTs and paramedics. We believe that Pulse CO-Oximetry
represents a vital component in the rapid, noninvasive detection of CO levels
in the blood of patients at the scene of emergencies, where critical diagnosis
and treatment decisions are initiated and most effective."
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 -- the
first and only technology capable of continuously and noninvasively measuring
carbon monoxide levels in the blood -- 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,
the Masimo Rad-57 can also limit the likelihood of long-term cardiac and
neurological damage that can result from non-fatal exposures.
Studies have shown that even a single high level exposure, or prolonged
exposure to low levels of CO, has the potential to cause long-term cardiac,
neurocognitive and psychiatric damage. The long-term effects of CO-including
Parkinson-like syndromes affecting motor skills and speech, dementia, cortical
blindness, acute renal failure, muscle cell death, and more -- can often be
nearly as devastating for victims and their families as its mortality.
NAEMT is the nation's largest and oldest organization solely representing
the professional interests of more than 34,000 paid and volunteer EMS workers
from across the United States and 57 foreign countries who provide
on-the-scene emergency care to populations around the world.
Joe E. Kiani, Chairman and CEO of Masimo, stated, "NAEMT recommendations
specifically address the importance and necessity of screening for CO levels
in the blood on the scene of an emergency, where appropriate recognition and
management of CO poisoning can make a life-saving difference. We invented
Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry to provide clinicians with a noninvasive
way to quickly, easily and accurately measure CO levels in a patients' and
rescuers' blood anywhere and anytime. The implication of our unique technology
for the advancement of public safety initiatives worldwide by industry-leading
organizations like NAEMT is an important step to eliminating unnecessary
deaths and long-term health consequences associated with CO poisoning."
About Masimo
Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI) develops innovative monitoring technologies that
significantly improve patient care -- helping solve "unsolvable" problems. In
1995, the company debuted Measure-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 demonstrate that Masimo SET
provides the most trustworthy SpO2 and pulse rate measurements even under the
most difficult clinical conditions, including patient motion and low
peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET, a
breakthrough noninvasive blood constituent monitoring platform that can
measure many blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures.
Rainbow SET continuously and noninvasively measures carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO),
methemoglobin (SpMet), and pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to
oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate, 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.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may include forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future
events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties and factors, all of which
are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, including:
risks related to our assumption that the Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter will
deliver a sufficient level of clinical improvement over alternative CO
monitoring devices to allow for rapid adoption of the technology at hospitals,
fire and rescue, EMT and EMS units, as well as other factors discussed in the
"Risk Factors" section of our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended September 29, 2007, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
November 1, 2007. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our
forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our
expectations will prove correct. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these
forward-looking statements or the risk factors contained in our quarterly
report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 29, 2007, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be
required under the federal securities laws.
Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Improving Outcomes and Reducing
Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications,
Rainbow, SpCO, SpMet, PVI and Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Masimo Corporation.
Contact:
Tom McCall
Masimo Corporation
949-297-7075
SOURCE Masimo