Health Outreach Program for Blacks at Risk of Peripheral Arterial Disease

 MINNEAPOLIS, - On Saturday, November 7, 2009 Vasamed

Inc., provider of diagnostic technologies that detect peripheral arterial
disease in patients with diabetes, will partner with the Black Barbershop
Health Outreach Program (BBHOP) in its mission to help African Americans
identify the connection between peripheral arterial disease (PAD), diabetes,
obesity and hypertension through early detection and referral to appropriate
medical resources. Vasamed will supply the program with its SensiLase® System
to conduct peripheral arterial tests for its upcoming one-day clinics that
will offer free screening to African American men at black owned barbershops
throughout the Los Angeles region. African American men are at a higher risk
for peripheral arterial disease, diabetes and hypertension. Providing health
screening at a point-of-gathering and friendship - the black barbershop - is
the brain child of Dr. Bill Releford.  


"It is estimated that one in three of the 20 million Americans with diabetes
also have peripheral arterial disease. Half of the 8-12 million Americans have
undiagnosed PAD with rates much higher within underserved populations
throughout the US - especially African Americans," said Paulita LaPlante,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Vasamed Inc.  "We are very pleased to
support Dr. Bill Releford and the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program to
extend lower leg vascular assessments through these outreach initiatives.  The
SensiLase technology can detect diminished blood flow to the legs that is
common in diabetics and that can often lead to ulcers and amputations. Early
identification of PAD can significantly improve a patient's ability to
understand their disease and take personal steps to increase exercise, alter
diet and stop smoking in order to reduce the complications of this illness.
Together with Dr. Releford, we can make a real difference in the lives of the
men at high risk of PAD and diabetes via coordinated testing, simple exam and
basic history taking."


Founded in 2007 by Dr. Bill J. Releford, D.P.M. of Inglewood, California, the
BBHOP addresses health care disparities among African Americans. Dr. Bill
Releford is a podiatric surgeon who specializes in Diabetic Amputation
Prevention to help reduce the high number of diabetes-related amputations in
high-risk populations. The mission of the BBHOP is to empower African American
men to better understand PAD, diabetes and hypertension and how it is related
to obesity and smoking so that they can take a greater role in preventing
disease and complications.  For the first time ever, BBHOP, Vasamed and
glucose monitoring and service company Entra Health Systems (EHS) will
prospectively collect information about these diseases, lifestyle and health
information in a significant population of African American men and
electronically upload all the data into one searchable database via EHS'
telehealth platform.


Vasamed will support the testing sites by providing the SensiLase System, the
only perfusion assessment product of its kind to also work in combination with
a real-time online data collection network to securely upload and manage
diabetic foot and vascular information using the SensiLase PC at the point of
care in the physician's office, lab or clinic. The SensiLase System data can
be easily accessed by all the physicians involved in the care of the epidemic
numbers of patients with combined diabetes and peripheral arterial disease
thus improving healthcare communication and disease management. 


About Vasamed, Inc. 


Vasamed, Inc. specializes in noninvasive diagnostic tools for identifying
critical circulatory conditions. Their technologically advanced products can
help improve patient outcomes by quickly, cost-effectively and noninvasively
measuring hemodynamic parameters in a clinic or office-based setting. 


www.vasamed.com




SOURCE  Vasamed, Inc.

John Campbell, VP Sales and Marketing of Vasamed, Inc., 1-800-695-2737, ext.
518, jcampbell@vasamed.com