Medtronic Announces U.S. FDA Approval of New Defibrillation Leads for Patients at Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the Nation's No. 1 Killer.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Sprint Fidelis(TM) family offers world's smallest defibrillation leads

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT), the leader in implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the Sprint Fidelis(TM) family of defibrillation leads. Leads are thin insulated wires that connect an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) directly to the heart and provide therapy for potentially lethal heart rhythms in patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, the nation's No. 1 killer.

At 6.6 French in size, Sprint Fidelis leads are the world's smallest right ventricular defibrillation leads, allowing for compatibility with 7 French introducers. An introducer is the instrument by which a physician inserts a lead into the chamber of the heart where therapy is typically delivered.

The small size of the Sprint Fidelis (Fidelis is a Latin word that means "faithful") helps improve passage into a patient's venous system for an easier implant, and minimizes venous obstruction.

"ICD leads tend to be heavy and more difficult to implant than pacemaker leads, but the Sprint Fidelis behaves and handles virtually identical to a pacemaker lead," said Raymond Yee, M.D., London Health Sciences Center, London, Ontario, who performed the first implant. "This makes doing an ICD implant a smoother, less arduous experience."

The Sprint Fidelis family comes in four models and will complement the Medtronic Sprint Quattro(TM) lead family, which are the industry's most implanted defibrillation leads. Sprint Fidelis leads will be available in both quadripolar and tripolar configurations, with active and passive fixation options.

Market release of these state-of-the-art leads is immediate in the United States. The Sprint Fidelis also has received CE mark in Europe and is nearing market release.

Approximately 3 million people worldwide have hearts that beat too fast. Abnormally rapid heartbeats can deteriorate into a life-threatening condition called ventricular fibrillation, the major cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Sudden cardiac arrest kills 450,000 Americans each year, more than lung cancer, breast cancer, AIDS and stroke combined. However, ICDs have been proven to be 98 percent effective in treating the rapid rhythms that lead to sudden cardiac arrest, and rapid defibrillation is the only effective treatment for this condition.

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. Its Internet address is www.medtronic.com.

Any statements made about the company's anticipated financial results and regulatory approvals are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2004. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.