Philips Continues Focus on Quality CPR with Release of HeartStart Defibrillators Compliant with Newest Guidelines from AHA, ERC and ILCOR.

ANDOVER, Mass. -- Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI), a worldwide leader in defibrillation technology, announced today that its entire line of HeartStart Defibrillators now shipping is compliant with American Heart Association (AHA), European Resuscitation Council (ERC), and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2005 Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).

Philips HeartStart Defibrillators were developed with the insight that the science behind resuscitation is constantly evolving. All HeartStart Defibrillators now shipping, including the Home, OnSite (HS1), FRx, FR2+, XL and MRx, support the new protocol of single-shock defibrillation, followed by immediate CPR, which is recommended in the updated Guidelines. Clinical studies show that the technology in HeartStart Defibrillators has a greater than 95 percent first-shock efficacy in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims.(1)

In addition, the FRx and OnSite support the Guidelines' new protocol to perform cycles of 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.

"It is extremely important to have current technology to help a responder make the most informed decision when treating a sudden cardiac arrest patient," said Mike Miller, senior vice president, Cardiac Care, for Philips Medical Systems. "As a leader in CPR and defibrillation technology, Philips made adoption of the new Guidelines a top priority to ensure we are providing our customers with tools that reflect the latest science in resuscitation."

Since the Guidelines were previously updated in 2000, numerous research studies have shown that effective CPR is an even more critically important element in helping save the lives of cardiac arrest victims. These studies are in large part the basis for the development of the new Guidelines. Responding to this science, Philips recently introduced a range of resuscitation technology solutions designed to ensure that quality CPR and early defibrillation are delivered quickly and effectively. Philips' commitment to continually help improve survival from SCA is evidenced through the introduction of innovative technologies such as:

--Q-CPR(TM): the first and only technology integrated into a monitor/defibrillator to provide real-time CPR monitoring and feedback for advanced life support (ALS)-trained responders. The new Guidelines recommend CPR-prompting devices for both in- and out-of-hospital settings. Q-CPR, developed by Philips and Laerdal Medical, is a feature available only on the Philips HeartStart MRx Monitor/Defibrillator.

--SMART CPR: first-of-its-kind technology that automatically advises a responder whether to provide an immediate defibrillation shock, or CPR first, followed by a shock, when treating a patient with a shockable cardiac arrest rhythm. SMART CPR helps the responder make better-informed treatment decisions. SMART CPR is a feature available only on the HeartStart FR2+ Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

--Quick Shock: technology which enables a defibrillation shock to be delivered quickly after CPR is stopped--up to three times faster than other solutions on the market. Quick Shock is available on the HeartStart MRx, FR2+, FRx, OnSite and Home Defibrillators. According to Guidelines 2005, "Reduction in the interval from compression to shock delivery by even a few seconds can increase the probability of shock success".

--CPR Coaching: the industry's first and only coaching tool for both adult and infant/child CPR, provides audio cues for the appropriate number, depth, and rate of chest compressions as well as cues for each rescue breath. This technology is available on the HeartStart FRx, OnSite, and Home Defibrillators.

Defibrillators treat the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), an electrical malfunction of the heart that causes it to beat erratically rather than pump in a normal rhythm. SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming more than 340,000 lives each year or nearly 1,000 people each day. Approximately 95 percent of these deaths occur before victims can get to a hospital or emergency room.

For more information about the 2005 Guidelines, please visit the AHA website at: http://www.americanheart.org

For more information about Philips HeartStart Defibrillators, please visit the Philips website at: www.philips.com/heartstart

(1) Schneider T, Martens PR, Paschen H, Kuisma M, Wolcke B, Gliner BE, Russell JK, Weaver WD, Bossaert L, Chamberlain D. Multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of 150-J biphasic shocks compared with 200- to 360-J monophasic shocks in the resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims. Circulation 2000; 102:1780-87.

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 $37.7 billion (EUR 30.4 billion) in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 158,000 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.