Medtronic Extends Internet-Based Device Monitoring to Pacemakers.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers/High-Tech Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2004

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) today announced the U.S. introduction of its innovative Internet-based Medtronic CareLink(R) Network for use with many of its most current pacemakers.

The system is an important advance in the ongoing medical care of heart rhythm problems, allowing patients to receive expert medical advice from their physician while at home or traveling instead of making multiple trips per year to the physician's office. It is already used by more than 9,000 people with Medtronic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) that treat sudden cardiac arrest and combination cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) ICD systems that treat heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest.

"I expect our pacemaker patients who use the Medtronic CareLink Network to enjoy similar benefits to those our ICD patients receive. Patients don't always need to travel to a physician's office, with the associated cost, time and inconvenience, to maintain safety and to monitor the function of their pacemaker," said Bruce Wilkoff, M.D., director of cardiac pacing and tachyarrhythmia devices at The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center. "In addition, we know that a significant number of pacemaker patients also suffer from or will develop atrial fibrillation (AF), which can increase the risk of stroke if not managed appropriately. Compared to current pacemaker follow-up methods, the combination of more frequent remote device checks and the resulting greater amount of data available for review using the Medtronic CareLink Network may offer a higher potential to detect treatable AF episodes."

The Medtronic CareLink Network now can be used by patients with the following Medtronic pacemaker families: Kappa(R) 900, Kappa(R) 800, Kappa(R) 700, Kappa(R) 600, and the first-ever fully automatic pacemaker recently launched by Medtronic, the EnPulse(TM) system. Nearly 400,000 Americans currently are being treated with these Medtronic pacemakers for a slow heart rhythm.

"The particular combination of EnPulse - the first pacemaker that can carry out diagnostic tests without physician intervention - and the Medtronic CareLink Network provides a new level of high-quality, simplified care for pacemaker patients, thus giving them more freedom to live their lives," added Wilkoff.

"Our vision is to continually leverage information technology to dramatically improve a physician's ability to care for people with implantable devices," said Reggie Groves, vice president and general manager of Medtronic Patient Management. "The availability of the Medtronic CareLink Network for pacemaker patients is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the patients we serve."

The Medtronic CareLink Network enables patients to transmit data from their implantable device anywhere in the 50 states using a portable monitor that is connected to a standard telephone line as instructed by their physician. Within minutes, the patient's physician and nurses can view the data on a secure Internet website. The information, which is comparable to the information provided during an in-clinic device follow-up visit, provides the physician with a comprehensive view of how the device and patient's heart are operating. If needed, the physician can make adjustments to the patient's medication or prescribe additional therapy. More information about the Medtronic CareLink Network can be found at www.medtronic.com/carelink.

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. Its website 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 25, 2003. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.