NHS Makes £200 Non-Drug Hypertension Treatment Device Available on Prescription

News provided by

Intercure Ltd.

Jan 31, 2012, 07:01 ET

LONDON, February 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

From today, an innovative non-drug, non-invasive treatment for high blood pressure will be made available to all hypertensive patients on NHS prescription. RESPeRATE is an interactive respiratory modulation device clinically-proven to lower blood pressure. When used for just 15 minutes a day, at least four times a week, RESPeRATE has demonstrated a significant, all-day blood pressure reduction beyond that seen with concurrent medication and lifestyle modification such as diet and exercise.

The NHS decision to make the £200 medical device available to patients on prescription [at the standard prescription charge of £7.40] is a clear reflection of the Department of Health's belief in RESPeRATE's potential as a new treatment option.

Dr Benjamin Gavish, inventor of RESPeRATE and Chief Scientist of InterCure (manufacturer of RESPeRATE), said: "We are delighted that patients in the UK can now obtain RESPeRATE on prescription. We hope that this pioneering move by the NHS to set up a new device category to supplement the currently available treatment options for hypertension will encourage GPs to integrate RESPeRATE into their hypertension standard of care."

High blood pressure affects over 16 million people in the UK and is the direct cause of half of all strokes and heart attacks in the country.
Failure to control blood pressure to target levels results in over 60,000 unnecessary deaths every year.
Despite many recent advances in the medical treatment of hypertension and public health campaigns aimed at highlighting awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure, it remains a significant public health problem in the UK.

RESPeRATE is most likely to be initially prescribed for patients aged 65+ with not-yet-at-target blood pressure - in spite of medication, those who have diabetes with hypertension and those who either refuse medication or suffer side effects with current medications. The good news is that there are no known contraindications for, and have been no adverse reactions to the use of RESPeRATE.  

For patients who wish to self-pay, RESPeRATE is also available, at a cost of £200, direct from the manufacturer (http://www.resperate.co.uk) or through selected pharmacies.

About RESPeRATE®

  • RESPeRATE is a non-drug, portable, battery operated, medical device clinically-proven to lower blood pressure.
  • It consists of a small computerised control unit, a breathing sensor mounted on an adjustable strap for wrapping around the abdomen and a set of earphones.
  • RESPeRATE enables patients to harness the power of therapeutic breathing, to reduce neural sympathetic activity to dilate constricted blood vessels which in turn helps to lower blood pressure - all patients have to do is breathe along with RESPeRATE.
  • Its breathing sensor, placed on the upper abdomen, automatically analyses the patient's breathing pattern and in real-time creates a personalised melody composed of two distinct tones - one for inhalation, the other for exhalation - the 'guiding tones'.
  • The patient simply listens to the melody through the headphones, and the body's natural tendency to follow external rhythms enables the patient to quickly and easily synchronise his/her breathing to the guiding tones.
  • By gradually prolonging the exhalation tone to slow down breathing, RESPeRATE leads the patient to the therapeutic zone of less than 10 breaths per minute. Within a few minutes, the muscles surrounding the small blood vessels in the body relax, blood flows more freely, and blood pressure gradually starts to lower.
  • While breathing returns to normal after each session with RESPeRATE, the beneficial impact on blood pressure accumulates. Within three to four weeks, a significant, lasting reduction in blood pressure occurs.
  • For more information visit: http://www.resperate.co.uk

About the NHS Drug Tariff approval

  • RESPeRATE was approved by the NHS Prescription Service after a six-month review of its ten supporting clinical studies (five of which were randomised, controlled), patient satisfaction analyses and cost-benefit economic models. It will be featured in a new sub-section of Part IXA Surgical Appliances of the Tariff list: 'Devices for the adjunctive treatment of hypertension'.
  • The Drug Tariff is a monthly publication issued by NHS Prescription Services of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health. The Drug Tariff contains a list of drugs, appliances, devices, chemical reagents etc approved for prescribing at NHS expense by an appropriate practitioner.
  • Products must meet the following three criteria for inclusion in Part IX of the Drug Tariff:
    • The products are safe and of good quality;
    • They are appropriate for GP and, if relevant, non-medical prescribing;
    • They are cost effective.

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SOURCE Intercure Ltd.