AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, THE CHAD FOUNDATION, AND THE LIVING HEART FOUNDATION TO DETECT SIGNS OF HEART DISEASE IN YOUNG ADULTS 

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 18,2001 --Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A), the Chad Foundation for Athletes and Artists, and the Living Heart Foundation are combining resources to screen hundreds of high school students for signs of heart disease. This is the first initiative in a nationwide effort to improve cardiac health in young adults. 

Over the next several weeks, students from Holyoke, Mass., will receive a variety of free medical tests. These include cardiac ultrasound exams using Agilent OptiGo, an innovative, point-of-care ultrasound device. Agilent is providing OptiGo units for the exams which local clinicians will conduct on June 23-24 at Holyoke High School. 

The Chad Foundation and the Living Heart Foundation are non-profit organizations working to expand cardiac screening. Their physician-directed partner, the National Cardiovascular Screening Lifestyle Initiative, will create clinical protocols, manage a nationwide medical database, and develop community programs to help reduce heart disease in young adults. Agilent will continue its support by providing OptiGo units for future screenings around the country . 

The Holyoke cardiac assessment will help detect medical problems ranging from high blood pressure to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy --a "silent killer" that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in otherwise healthy, athletic young adults. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control found that 3,000 Americans between ages 15 and 34 die each year from SCA. 

OptiGo, which Agilent introduced in March, is a point-of-care ultrasound device about the size of a laptop computer. With its compact size, easy operation, 2D and color-flow Doppler imaging capabilities, and affordable price, OptiGo is designed to be used as part of a routine cardiac exam. This device works as a "visual stethoscope," allowing physicians to view the heart. 

"Agilent's generosity in loaning the equipment is a key component of our screening," said Arista, founder and president of the Chad Foundation for Athletes and Artists. "My son, Chad, died at 26 of sudden cardiac arrest. My hope is that by putting screening programs into place, we can decrease tragic losses like his in the future." 

"Once we make early diagnoses in young people, our goal is to create a database that will allow us to study their cardiac disease --and ultimately, to improve their treatment and outcomes," said Arthur J. Roberts, M.D., chairman of the Living Heart Foundation. 

About Agilent Technologies 

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. With 48,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent had net revenue of $10.8 billion in fiscal year 2000. Information about Agilent can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.