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Cardiovascular disease is one of the top most cause for human death globally accounting to a whopping 17 million per annum. Around 30 million people are severely affected by cardiovascular diseases every year. A considerable market growth is provided in the stress testing systems and diagnostics all over the world by the emerging markets. There are two sub-segments accounting for the high demand—cardiac rhythm management and cardiovascular monitoring and diagnostic devices. Of the many factors leading to the soaring demand for cardiovascular devices, an aging population, changing lifestyle and technological advances are the main ones.

Cardiovascular conditions include angina, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction or other disorders. All these diseases involve a malfunction of the heart or related circulatory system. The heart is located in the mediastinum, suspended between the lungs, behind the sternum, and in front of the vertebral column, thoracic aorta, and esophagus, for example- when viewed from the front, the heart appears to be rotated to the left, so that the right atrium and right ventricle are most anterior. The base of the heart protrudes somewhat into the right side of the chest and is relatively fixed in place by its attachments to the great vessels.

The apex of the heart lies primarily in the left side of the chest and is directed forward toward the anterior chest wall. With each heartbeat, a characteristic thrust, or point of maximal impulse (PMI), is generated and can be palpated where the apex strikes against the chest. The PMI is normally located on the left side of the chest where the fifth intercostal space and midclavicular line intersect.

For instance, to understand it statistically, more than 154.7 million electrocardiography, endovascular, noninvasive diagnostic imaging, and near patient in vitro testing procedures were performed in 2003 in the US to diagnose cardiovascular diseases/disorders. These procedures generated approximately $3.6 billion in corresponding product sales, with noninvasive diagnostic imaging systems sales accounting for 45.8% of the total, imaging contrast agents and biopharmaceuticals sales for 21.9%, transcatheter diagnostic systems sales for 17.4%, near patient in vitro testing products sales for 7.9%, and electrocardiography systems sales for 7.0%. Growing at a compound annual rate of 8.0%, sales of these products are expected to reach an estimated $4.8 billion in the year 2007.

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