New Online Resource Available Specifically for Patients and Their Caregivers Following a Heart Stent Procedure

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Jan 18, 2011, 09:12 ET

PARSIPPANY, N.J. and INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, patient support group Mended Hearts, in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, launched the Stent Hub – an online resource for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who were treated with angioplasty and stenting (also known as percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI), as well as their caregivers.

"I find that many ACS patients who receive a stent have the impression their heart is 'fixed,' and much more attention is paid to patients who undergo bypass surgery after a heart attack, " said Dr. JoAnne Foody, medical director, Cardiovascular Wellness Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "But it is vitally important to recognize that having a stent requires education and follow up too. Adherence to oral antiplatelet therapy and other medications, as well as a healthy lifestyle, are important to help prevent future heart events and maintain the stent benefits."

While there are many online resources for general heart disease, the Stent Hub is one of the first dedicated to providing educational information and support specifically for ACS-PCI patients and their caregivers. ACS is a condition that includes heart attack and unstable angina (heart-related chest pain at rest) and affects more than one million Americans annually.(1)

"Our organization sees many stent patients who are eager to learn about their condition and how to take a proactive role in the future of their heart health," said Tim Elsner, executive director, Mended Hearts. "The Stent Hub will address this unmet need, and is a welcome addition to the Hearts in Harmony® program and web site."

The Stent Hub takes a holistic approach to recovery after the placement of a heart stent, providing guidance and educational and motivational information that address the physical and emotional obstacles a patient and their caregiver may encounter after a heart stent procedure.

"As a clinical psychologist, I see firsthand how heart events can affect the emotional well-being of my patients, as well as those who care for them," said Dr. Robert Allan, clinical assistant professor of psychology in medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, and professional associate, New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "It's important to care for the mind just as much as the body when recovering from a stent placement procedure."

The Stent Hub is an extension of a public education campaign launched in 2009 called Hearts in Harmony®, also sponsored by Mended Hearts, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, which provides heart event survivors with information about the physical and emotional aspects of recovering from a heart event. The Stent Hub goes a step further to tailor information and tips to ACS-PCI patients and their caregivers specifically. Patients should speak with their doctors before making any lifestyle changes or adopting alternative therapies.

To access the Stent Hub, please visit: www.HealthyHeartsInHarmony.com/stenthub.

About Mended Hearts

Mended Hearts is a community-based, nationwide heart patient support network founded in 1951. More than 17,000 members operate through 300 chapters and satellite organizations across the U.S., with two chapters in Canada. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with 460 hospitals and rehabilitation clinics and offers services to heart patients through visiting programs, support group meetings and educational forums. The Mended Hearts mission is "dedicated to inspiring hope in heart disease patients and their families."

About Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

The Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address the diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. While maintaining its portfolio of marketed pharmaceuticals for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and bacterial infections, the Group is engaged in the development of treatments for thrombotic disorders and focused on the discovery of novel oncology and cardiovascular-metabolic therapies. Furthermore, the Daiichi Sankyo Group has created a "Hybrid Business Model," which will respond to market and customer diversity and optimize growth opportunities across the value chain. For more information, please visit www.daiichisankyo.com.

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit www.dsi.com.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly, a leading innovation-driven, corporation is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world's most urgent medical needs.

Hearts in Harmony® is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

The Mended Hearts logo® is a registered trademark of The Mended Hearts, Inc.

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(1) Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, et al. for the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics – 2011 update. Circulation. 2011;123:e1-e192.

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SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company