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| |  Pre-Hospital Heart Attack Treatment Now Available LANSING, MICH.-- July 11, 1997-- Today, Lansing area heart attack patients will be relieved to learn that they can receive Retavase(TM), a life saving treatment option from Boehringer Mannheim -- before they reach the hospital. This clot-busting drug is being placed in paramedic units as the result of a project started by Dr. Mark Veenendaal, a cardiologist with the Thoracic Cardiovascular Institute, and Esther Perez, a paramedic with Delhi Township Fire Department. A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying blood to part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot. Studies have shown the importance of treating a heart attack as quickly as possible to minimize heart damage and increase the chances of survival. Starting today, Retavase is being placed on ambulances at Delta Township Fire Department and on several paramedic units in the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Delhi Township Fire Department in Holt and Lansing Fire Department will be receiving Retavase in the near future. Michigan Capital Medical Center, Sparrow Hospital and St. Lawrence Hospital are the local hospitals that will carry Retavase. "Previously, emergency department physicians could not start heart attack treatment until the patient arrived at the hospital, but now with Retavase available in the paramedic units, treatment can begin significantly sooner saving precious time and heart muscle," said Dr. Veenendaal. "Approximately 500 people in Lansing suffered heart attacks in 1996, most of which would have been candidates for pre-hospital thrombolytics." How It Works Paramedics are equipped with a state-of-the-art Physio-Control 12-lead ECG (electrocardiogram machine) to monitor heart activity. The ECG is then transmitted via cellular phone to a special receiving unit in the hospital emergency department. This allows the physician standing by at the hospital to determine if the patient is having a heart attack. After the diagnosis has been made, the physician decides if Retavase will be administered. The first dose is given by the paramedics and (30 minutes later) the second dose is administered at the hospital. Thrombolytic agents such as Retavase are used to treat patients who suffer from heart attack, or what is medically known as acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Widespread research has shown that one of the most effective treatments for heart attack resulting from a blockage caused by a blood clot is to quickly administer a thrombolytic to restore blood flow to the affected artery. However, like all thrombolytic therapies, Retavase does increase the risk of bleeding. "With state of the art treatments such as Retavase, it is even more critical to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and call an ambulance immediately. Quick action to treatment is the only way to avoid extensive heart muscle damage -- and save lives," commented Esther Perez. According to the American Heart Association: --Approximately 1.25 million people in the U.S. experience a heart attack each year. About the Company The Boehringer Mannheim Group, headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is a diversified high technology healthcare company. Boehringer Mannheim is a world leader in diagnostics and plays a major role in pharmaceutical research and development, utilizing the most advanced skills in medicine, biotechnology and systems technology. More information on: The Boehringer Mannheim Group, Retavase
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