Non-Drug Hypertension Treatment Device Effectively Reduces Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Diabetics; Interim Results from a Randomized Controlled Study Suggest a New Treatment Option.

FORT LEE, N.J. -- It is estimated that eighty percent of the 10 million Americans suffering from both diabetes and hypertension do not reach goal blood pressure (BP) and are at increased risk for heart, kidney and eye disease. Now, an already available non-drug hypertension treatment device, named RESPeRATE(R) (www.RESPeRATE.com), has demonstrated its ability to significantly lower blood pressure in this specific population.

An interim analysis of the results of the first 38 patients participating in a randomized controlled study of non-insulin-dependent diabetics with uncontrolled blood pressure was presented recently at the European General Practice Research Network meeting. The study, conducted by Dr. Moshe Schein from the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel, compared the BP response to 8 weeks of 15-minute daily self-treatment with device-guided slow breathing using the RESPeRATE device with that of a control group that continued their usual care. Medication, diet and physical exercise were unchanged in both groups during the study.

Results show a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 7.4 mmHg in the treatment group, compared to a rise of 3.1 mmHg in the control group (P less than 0.005). Thirty-two percent of the RESPeRATE-treated patients reached the target BP of 130/80 mmHg compared with just 5% in the control group (p less than 0.05). No side effects were observed and compliance with treatment was good. Similar to the previous seven published RESPeRATE studies, which were performed in general hypertensive populations, this study also demonstrated a dose-response relationship. Performing more breathing exercise sessions with RESPeRATE, increased the reduction of systolic blood pressure (p less than 0.005).

"This is fantastic news for the diabetes community and for InterCure" said Erez Gavish, President & CEO of InterCure, the developer of RESPeRATE. "Diabetes treatment is all about self-care and empowerment and the RESPeRATE fits right in. The device is already used by more than 30,000 patients and doctors and I'm sure this study will accelerate the adoption of RESPeRATE in the diabetes community."

About InterCure

InterCure (www.intercure.com) is a medical device company that creates and sells products that harness the therapeutic power of breathing for the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, respiratory diseases and other conditions. With seven successful clinical trials, RESPeRATE(R) (www.RESPeRATE.com) became the only non-drug medical device indicated by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the adjunctive treatment of hypertension. RESPeRATE is now available in the US, Europe, Australia and many other countries.