An emailer writes in:
Dear QuickMedical:
My doctor advised me to begin checking my blood pressure at home, so I needed to buy a blood pressure monitor, which I did from QuickMedical.
I'm wondering about the accuracy of my blood pressure measurement with the blood pressure monitor I purchased. How can I tell if my blood pressure monitor is accurate? Should I take it to my doctor to confirm the accuracy of the blood pressure monitor?
Click ahead for the answer.
Surgical gowns are often the first line of defense against spreading infection in a surgical setting. Gowns are the first item to be put on and are always worn in combination with gloves. Gowns must provide skin protection and prevent soiling or contamination of clothing. The level of protection needs to be adjusted according to the task, particularly when contact with blood, bodily fluids, secretions, or excretions is anticipated or when there is also potential for contamination from the environment.
According to the standards of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), hospital surgical gowns are classified as level one (lowest protection) to level four (highest). The AAMI barrier protection levels were developed to grade the fluid barrier a surgical gown provides. Click ahead to read more about what surgical gown might be right for your needs.
As we've mentioned, the 2011 flu season is approaching fast. In the U.S. flu season peaks in January or February, however seasonal flu activity begins as early as October and continues to occur as late as May. If you begin exhibiting flu virus symptoms or signs of the flu, review these helpful tips from QuickMedical and the CDC. Click ahead for the latest recommendations.
Curved iris scissors are used in medical applications for ophthalmic applications. They are used in eye surgery as a surgical scissor. They are often kept in operating rooms for other medical applications, including making detailed cuts in small areas where larger instruments are unwieldy. Curved iris scissors are often used in autopsies, when a small part of the body must be cut without damaging organs or tissue. Curved iris scissors are often very small, very sharp, and are ideally kept as sharp as possible.
A person picked up a stray cat near Gramercy Park, 2 weeks ago. The cat went to the shelter where its microchip identity chip was scanned and revealed that it's name was Willow and it was from Colorado and had been missing for 5 years! Willow was given veterinary care and her owners were contacted. What did they think about finding their long lost pet?
Reuters reports: "Health officials are banning the only asthma inhaler sold over the counter in the United States starting from next year to prevent the use of products that harm the environment. The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in metered-dose asthma inhalers that contain the drug epinephrine cannot be used, following an international agreement that bans CFCs."
Have no fear, asthma sufferers! Nebulizers, including the portable Omron NE-U22V Portable Nebulizer (pictured below) have been and will always be CFC free! To read the full article click ahead.
We found this video on YouTube which was created by the people at GoodMagazine. GoodMagazine calls itself, "the global association of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits powering what works." Sounds a little culty, but it has something to do with General Electric, which doesn't mean it's not a cult, but probably has more to do with maintaining GE's public image.
Whatever the reason was for making this little video-- we like it. It debunks a few well-known TV tropes we're all familiar with. Check it out--
Latex allergies. Latex seems harmless. It is harmless for most people. It's a natural rubber useful for many different types of protective products, including exam gloves. But the medical industry has shifted to nitrile gloves, precisely because of some of the natural ingredients in latex. The proteins that occur naturally in rubber latex can put sensitive individuals, at worst, in a state of anaphylactic shock. Milder latex allergies cause skin irritation that resembles exposure to poison ivy. Latex materials also cause irritant contact dermatitis in many people. While this is not a true allergic reaction it can be very irritating and painful. The powder coatings of some latex gloves and frequent hand washing only aggravate the itchy, dry skin caused by the latex.
Has cholesterol monitoring revealed that you have high LDL cholesterol levels? Are you wondering about tips to lower cholesterol naturally? If your blood cholesterol has not yet reached a very dangerous level, your doctor will often prescribe therapeutic lifestyle changes to lower your LDL cholesterol, instead of medication.
To learn more about the low cholesterol diet and foods which help lower cholesterol, click ahead.
Vitamin D is important here in the cloudy Northwest. A lack of sunlight can cause decreased vitamin D levels and cause health problems. Recently medical journals had reported on the link between vitamin D deficiency and heart disease. A more in depth study has proven, however that a vitamin D deficiency does not create or influence atrial fibrillation-- a dangerous type of irregular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots and then strokes, and is often treated with blood thinner medication.
Dr. Michiel Rienstra of Massachusetts General Hospital and his colleagues found there was no difference in the likelihood of getting the condition between people with the highest vitamin D levels in their blood and those with the lowest.
