Healthcare Industry News:  arrhythmia 

Devices Monitoring Cardiology

 News Release - June 6, 2012

Study Confirms the Value of Cambridge Heart’s MTWA Test as a Predictor of Life-Threatening Cardiac Events

Results Show MTWA to Be a Strong, Independent Risk Factor for Major Arrhythmic Events

TEWKSBURY, Mass.--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)--Cambridge Heart, Inc. (CAMH), a developer of non-invasive diagnostic tests for cardiac disease, today announced that results of a prospective, 155-patient trial reinforce the value of the Microvolt T-Wave AlternansTM (MTWA) test as a predictor of life-threatening heart rhythms and Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). The results were published this week in the journal Kardiologia Polska.

Researchers from the Medical University of Silesia in Zabrze, Poland studied 155 patients who received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for secondary prevention of SCD. Patients underwent MTWA testing using Cambridge Heart’s analytic spectral method prior to implantation and were followed for major arrhythmic cardiac events (MACE) including SCD or intractable life-threatening arrhythmias requiring ablation or heart transplant.

At a median follow-up time of 22 months, patients with an abnormal MTWA test were 11 times more likely to experience a major arrhythmic cardiac event than patients with a normal MTWA result. The negative predictive value was 98.6 percent, indicating that patients with a normal or negative MTWA test are at very low risk of experiencing life-threatening arrhythmias.

“The most important finding of our study was that abnormal MTWA was demonstrated to be a strong, independent risk factor for MACE following ICD implantation,” said Dr. Beata Sredniawa, lead author of the study. “These results suggest that standardized MTWA evaluation can be useful for risk stratification in clinical practice.”

“This exciting new published data is an important addition to an already extensive body of literature supporting the clinical role of MTWA in managing patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest,” said Ali Haghighi-Mood, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge Heart. “These results are significant in that they confirm the prognostic value of MTWA in predicting arrhythmic events that are truly life-threatening.”

Cambridge Heart addresses a key problem in cardiac diagnosis – the identification of those at risk of sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) accounts for approximately one fourth of all cardiac deaths, or approximately 300,000 deaths, in the United States each year – more than lung cancer, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS combined. Out-of-hospital survival is less than 8 percent, making prediction and prevention critically important. It is estimated that there are approximately 10 to 12 million heart attack and heart failure patients in the U.S. who can benefit from annual Microvolt T-Wave Alternans (MTWA) testing. MTWA is a marker of SCA risk which is measured during a non-invasive treadmill test using Cambridge Heart’s proprietary technologies. The Company’s MTWA test is the only one of its kind that is reimbursed by Medicare under a National Coverage Policy.

Questions can be directed to the Company's management or its investor relations firm at the contact numbers provided.

About Cambridge Heart, Inc.

Cambridge Heart develops and commercializes non-invasive diagnostic tests for cardiac disease, with a focus on identifying those at risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The Company's products incorporate proprietary Microvolt T-Wave Alternans™ (MTWA) measurement technologies, including the patented Analytic Spectral Method® and ultrasensitive disposable electrode sensors. The Company's MTWA test, originally based on research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is reimbursed by Medicare under its National Coverage Policy.

Cambridge Heart, founded in 1990, is based in Tewksbury, MA. It is traded on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) under the symbol CAMH.OB. For additional information, please refer to the Company's website at: http://www.cambridgeheart.com.

Statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. In some cases, we use words such as "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "estimates", "could", and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to such differences are identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K under “Risk Factors”, which is on file with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent our estimates only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so except as may be legally necessary, even if our estimates should change.


Source: Cambridge Heart

Issuer of this News Release is solely responsible for its content.
Please address inquiries directly to the issuing company.



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