Dsseldorf, Germany - As part of its sponsorship of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is providing all 32 qualified teams as well as the 2006 World Cup Stadiums in Germany with in total 125 HeartStart defibrillators. This way players, staff and spectators will be better protected in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.
Defibrillators treat the most common result of sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, which is an electrical malfunction of the heart that causes it to beat erratically rather than pump in a normal rhythm. Fewer than five percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims survive, largely because defibrillators do not get to them in time. For each minute that passes before defibrillation therapy reaches a victim, the chance for survival decreases by about 10 percent. After 10 minutes, few attempts at resuscitation are successful. Having an AED immediately available and people trained to use it, helps to ensure more lives could be saved.
Philips developed HeartStart defibrillators to be so safe and easy to use that virtually anyone with minimal training can use them. HeartStart defibrillators are portable, have a simple design, and guide the user through the resuscitation process using clear, calm voice and visual instructions.
" 2006 will be the first FIFA World Cup in which handheld automated defibrillators will be deployed ", commented Louis Hakim, CEO, Philips Middle East. "Philips HeartStart defibrillators have been provided for use at each host stadium and offered to each of the 32 competing teams, ensuring that if the worst should happen on or off the pitch, help will be available in an instant".
Since 1998, more than 275,000 HeartStart defibrillators have been placed around the world to protect people where they work, live and play.
Philips is the world market share leader in out-of-hospital defibrillators (Frost & Sullivan). Philips is also the first to be granted FDA clearance for selling home defibrillators over the counter.
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About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 30.4 billion in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 161,498 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
For further information please contact:
Galia Rizk- PR Manager
Philips Electronics Middle East & Africa
Tel: +971 4 3095155/Mob: +971 50 625 82 03
Email: galia.rizk@philips.com
© Press Release 2006
