AUSTIN, Texas, July 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On-X® Life Technologies, Inc. (On-X LTI) announced today that it has produced a 14-minute Patient Education Video to provide prospective heart valve replacement patients with information vital to their valve decision. The video describes heart valve function in easy-to-understand language and presents facts about heart valve disease and the options available for heart valve replacement to help patients make informed decisions on which type of prosthetic heart valve will meet their long-term and quality-of-life goals.
The video entitled "Your Heart Valve Surgery" is available for viewing at http://www.onxlti.com/new-patient-education-video/ and at www.ValveReplacement.org, or by request at 1-800-339-8000 ext. 265 or +1-512-339-8000 ext. 265. Physicians are invited to order DVDs of the video for in-office viewing.
"More patients are taking an active role in choosing their heart valve replacement," said Clyde Baker President and CEO of On-X LTI. "Because the various technologies offer different outcomes, we believe it is important for patients to have the information presented in this video to help them gain a greater understanding of the impact of their decision and the quality of life that can be expected."
The On-X® Prosthetic Heart Valve is produced with a new carbon material and with a unique design that does not damage blood as older generation mechanical valves do. The On-X heart valve has been FDA approved for more than ten years. A FDA-approved study (PROACT – Prospective Randomized On-X Valve Anticoagulation Clinical Trial) is currently being conducted to determine if less or no anticoagulation drugs (replaced with aspirin and Clopidogrel) may be suitable to maintain patients with the On-X valve.
The PROACT Trial
The preliminary report of PROACT (Prospective Randomized On-X Valve Anticoagulation Clinical Trial) data presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in 2011 for the high risk aortic patient test will provide the basis for modification of the IFU for the On-X Prosthetic Heart Valve. The modifications are expected to recommend that aortic valve replacement patients may be safely maintained at anticoagulation levels previously considered below professional society guidelines.
More about the On-X Prosthetic Heart Valve
The On-X heart valve is the result of a breakthrough in medical grade carbon technology—On-X® pure pyrolytic carbon. In addition to providing a more thromboresistant surface, the comparatively high strength of pure On-X® carbon enabled On-X LTI to make significant valve design changes that resulted in a prosthesis that acts more like a natural valve in its treatment of blood. It is well documented that the On-X valve does not produce the turbulence and blood damage commonly produced by other mechanical heart valve prostheses and, therefore, significantly reduces the potential for life-threatening blood clots.
About On-X LTI
On-X® LTI develops heart valve replacements that significantly improve the quality of life of patients. Jack Bokros, Ph.D., and his associates founded On-X LTI in 1994 to further advance prosthetic heart valve technology by capitalizing on their new form of pyrolytic carbon. The company has FDA, CE and Japanese approval for sale of the On-X® valve. On-X LTI also provides contract-manufacturing services utilizing its patented pyrolytic carbon to manufacturers of other medical products, including orthopedic joint and spine prostheses. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, On-X LTI is a privately held company. More information is located at www.onxlti.com.
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