IRVINE, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Masimo announced today that it is poised to support National Poison Prevention Week, which was proclaimed by the President to be March 19 through March 25, 2006.
National Poison Prevention Week helps raise awareness about the dangers of poison exposure. Since 1962 the President traditionally proclaims the third week of March to be National Poison Prevention Week.
The most common cause of death due to accidental poisoning results from exposure to carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas that is produced by products such as grills, gas stoves and generators, wood burning stoves, water heaters, and automobiles. Every year, 3,500 to 4,000 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and some 40,000 more seek treatment. It is estimated that countless others are unknowingly exposed to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and even a single exposure to high levels can lead to cardiac and cognitive damage.
Masimo is the inventor of read-through motion and low-perfusion pulse oximetry, a technology called Masimo SET(R), which has been proven more accurate and reliable in the most challenging clinical settings by over 70 independent clinical studies. Building on this technology platform, Masimo recently introduced Masimo Rainbow SET(R), a new technology that noninvasively measures carbon monoxide and methemoglobin in the blood. Masimo Rainbow SET uses eight wavelengths of light to allow clinicians to detect and monitor these potentially poisonous compounds without drawing blood or puncturing the skin.
The Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter(TM) family of handheld devices are the first FDA cleared Rainbow SET products from Masimo. In clinical studies and in the field, Rad-57 is already proving itself effective in detecting carbon monoxide poisoning in seconds, allowing accurate diagnosis and early treatment of a life-threatening problem that is frequently misdiagnosed as flu or migraine.
Masimo offers Rainbow SET products to health care facilities worldwide, and recently began working with fire department and emergency medical service (EMS) agencies to bring this new life-saving technology to first responders.
Joe E. Kiani, Chairman and CEO of Masimo, stated "We are proud to make this new technology available to not only hospitals and other traditional health care facilities, but to firefighters, paramedics and other first responders as well. The Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter is handheld and battery operated, so caregivers can take it right to the scene of a problem. We believe that early recognition of carbon monoxide poisoning is essential to reducing the number of injuries and deaths from this all too common form of poisoning."
Masimo's Fire/EMS sales organization will spend Poison Prevention Week demonstrating the Rad-57 at the EMS Today Exposition in Baltimore, MD. The trade show is a vehicle to deliver training and introduce new technology to the nation's emergency medical personnel.
Information about poison exposure and how homes can be made safer is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, www.cdc.gov/health/poisoning.html, and the Poison Prevention Week Council website, www.poisonprevention.org. In case of emergency, families should call 911, or contact their nearest Poison Control Center, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 1-800-222-1222.
About Masimo
Masimo 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. Over 100 clinical studies have confirmed that Masimo SET technology allows clinicians to accurately monitor blood oxygen saturation in challenging critical care situations. In 2005 Masimo introduced Rainbow SET and with it, 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.
Masimo, founded in 1989, has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcome 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 www.Masimo.com
Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Rad-57 and Improving and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications are registered trademarks of Masimo Corp. Rainbow and Pulse CO-Oximetry are trademarks of Masimo Labs.
Contact: Brad Langdale 949-297-7009 blangdale@masimo.com
MasimoCONTACT: Brad Langdale of Masimo, +1-949-297-7009, blangdale@masimo.com
