Asia PR News

KYOTO, June 29 /KYODO JBN-AsiaNet/ –

HEM-9000AI Allows Central Aortic Pressure to be Adopted
as Measurement Index

The diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hypertension and other
cardiovascular diseases is set to improve worldwide following the recent
amendment to the treatment guidelines, which was encouraged by Omron
Healthcare’s non-invasive blood pressure monitor with augmentation index, the
HEM-9000AI.

( Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070629/LNF507 )

At the 17th European Meeting on Hypertension held June 15-19, 2007, in
Milan, Italy, delegates agreed to make the first revision to hypertension
treatment guidelines in four years by deciding to add central aortic pressure
to the list of blood pressure indicators to be measured in hypertension
management.

In addition to having new non-invasive technologies measure radial arterial
pulse wave activity, recent research indicates that blood pressure lowering
drugs affect central aortic pressure differently than they do systolic pressure
measured at the upper arm. Central aortic pressure is systolic blood pressure
taken at the root of the aorta in the heart and instances have been found of
drugs lowering upper arm systolic pressure but not central aortic pressure.

Administration of therapy to lower central aortic pressure can make
treatment to lower blood pressure even more effective and thereby allow doctors
to better diagnose, treat and prevent hypertension, myocardial infarction,
hypertrophy of the heart, arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases.

One reason why central aortic pressure has only now been added to the
standard list of items for monitoring blood pressure is that an
easy-to-administer, non-invasive way to measure it has only recently become
available -from Omron Healthcare. Previously, measuring central aortic pressure
accurately was not easy, and the typical procedure was invasive, entailing
inserting a catheter into the heart.

Omron Healthcare’s HEM-9000AI radial arterial pulse wave monitor, which
debuted in Japan in 2005, makes it possible to simply, conveniently, and - best
of all - non-invasively estimate central aortic pressure.

The HEM-9000AI is the world’s first monitor to sense Augmentation Index
(AI) automatically from the late systolic blood pressure in the radial artery
(r-SBP2) -the blood pressure reading at the peak of wave reflection measured at
the wrist- using a pulse-wave sensor developed completely by Omron.

The HEM-9000AI became available in the United States in 2006, and Omron
intends to launch the device in Europe, China, Taiwan, and Korea in the near
future. The HEM-9000AI is currently in clinical studies in many countries, and
Omron Healthcare is committed to developing even easier-to-use models to lead
to wider adoption. The company is also cooperating with medical institutions to
further utilize the monitor effectively.

About Omron Healthcare
Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Omron Corp and
is based in Kyoto. A specialist firm in healthcare equipment for home and
medical use, including digital blood pressure monitors, digital thermometers,
body fat meters, and nebulizers, Omron Healthcare employs about 3,300 staff
worldwide and recorded sales to March 2007 of 65.7 billion yen. Its president
is Keiichiro Akahoshi.

SOURCE: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.

CONTACT: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Department
Kaori Iijima
E-mail:pr_ohq@omron.co.jp
Tel:+81-75-322-9309

Attachments

OMRON HEALTHCARE’S HEM-9000AI..R1.jpg