New Basic Life Support 12-Lead ECG Solution

Physio-Control, a subsidiary of Medtronic, announced commercial availability of the ReadyLink? 12-Lead ECG device, a new FDA 510(k)-cleared solution designed to improve care for heart attack patients and expand regional ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) systems.
 ReadyLink? enables basic life support (BLS) emergency medical service providers to acquire and transmit a patient's 12-lead ECG to hospitals using the LIFENET? System, Physio-Control's cloud-based data network for remote physician interpretation and decision support. This provides earlier insight into a chest pain patient's condition, especially in rural areas with limited access to advanced life support providers, and helps enable the most efficient routing for patient treatment.
 The 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care emphasize the importance of a well-organized approach to STEMI care to activate rapid access to reperfusion therapy. STEMI is a type of heart attack that reduces or blocks circulation of blood to the heart and can result in death or serious disability for the patient. ReadyLink? expands a regional STEMI system's reach by enabling BLS providers to rapidly identify STEMI patients with the assistance of trained clinicians, starting the treatment clock earlier and reducing overall time to treatment.
 As simple as it is portable, ReadyLink? only requires a three-step process to capture and transmit a 12-lead ECG: (1) prepare patient's skin and place electrodes, (2) one-button push to acquire 12-lead ECG, and (3) one-button push to transmit ECG to selected hospital facility via the LIFENET? System. Additional ReadyLink? features include the following: (a) all ECG leads visible on screen, (b) full keyboard for easy patient data entry, (c) backlit screen, (d) external AC/DC converter with rechargeable lithium ion battery, (e) built-in modem, and (f) internal storage up to 60 ECGs.
 "The ReadyLink? 12-Lead ECG is the first device of its kind designed to expand the reach of regional chest pain management networks. It was designed specifically for the needs of BLS teams responding to a chest pain call, providing them with real-time decision support and cutting time-to-treatment by directing them to the appropriate care facility, making more successful patient outcomes possible," said Brian Webster, President, Physio-Control.