LAS VEGAS, December 11, 2006 – Cardinal Health, the leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry today announced the launch of its AirLife™ Infant nCPAP System, a new product designed to help infants breathe easier. Unveiled at the 52nd annual convention of the American Association for Respiratory Care, the system maximizes the benefits of respiratory therapy while helping to prevent necrosis (skin breakdown) and increase patient comfort.
According to the National Vital Statistics Report published by the National Center for Health Statistics, each year more than 500,000 infants are born prematurely and many require some form of ventilation support. There are risks associated with mechanically ventilating infants such as Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) and trachea damage. As a result, clinicians are constantly searching for ways to deliver effective respiratory therapy with minimum patient risk and discomfort.
Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (nCPAP) helps infants breathe without tracheal tubes or ventilators. It helps babies establish the vital Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) needed for normal respiratory function. The expectation is that infants treated with nasal CPAP will develop stronger, healthier lungs and be less susceptible to asthma and other breathing difficulties experienced by many babies who are born prematurely.
“Our respiratory care team worked with more than 250 industry-leading neonatologists, respiratory therapists, nurses, and clinical advisory board members to develop this comprehensive solution for infant nCPAP,” said Hank Struik, Cardinal Health’s vice president and general manager of Respiratory Care. “Every component in the Cardinal Health AirLife™ Infant nCPAP System has been engineered for maximum performance, reliability, patient comfort and clinician ease of use.”
With a unique combination of advanced components and innovative technology, Cardinal Health’s AirLife™ Infant nCPAP system is comprised of an interface (nasal prong, nasal mask, fixation device and generator) and a driver. The interface minimizes pressure points that can lead to skin necrosis while the generator incorporates a patent-pending “Vortice” technology which helps decrease the infant’s work of breathing by redirecting the gas flow away from the infant during exhalation and entrains air during periods of high inspiratory effort. The driver’s comfort-flow feature automatically adjusts the gas flow to compensate for air leaks. It helps maintain a constant level of nCPAP, minimizes nuisance alarms and saves the clinician time by not having to constantly adjust the flow.
About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is an $81 billion, global company serving the health-care industry with a broad portfolio of products and services. Through its diverse offerings, Cardinal Health delivers health-care solutions that help customers reduce their costs, improve safety and productivity, and deliver better care to patients. The company manufactures, packages and distributes pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, offers a range of clinical services and develops automation products that improve the management and delivery of supplies and medication for hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies. Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 55,000 people on six continents. More information about the company may be found at
www.cardinalhealth.com.
Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Cardinal Health's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports) and exhibits to those reports, and include (but are not limited to) the following: competitive pressures in its various lines of business; the loss of one or more key customer or supplier relationships or changes to the terms of those relationships; changes in the distribution patterns or reimbursement rates for health-care products and/or services; the results, consequences, effects or timing of any inquiry or investigation by or settlement discussions with any regulatory authority or any legal and administrative proceedings, including shareholder litigation; difficulties in opening new facilities or fully utilizing existing capacity; the costs, difficulties and uncertainties related to the integration of acquired businesses; and general economic and market conditions. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Cardinal Health undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.
