QuickMedical Questions

Often customers or casual web surfers will send us questions, via Facebook, Twitter or email, about medical equipment and supplies. Since we're not doctors, we can't offer you specific health advice. If you're really concerned, you should always consult a health professional. Here's another QuickMedical Question:

Dear QuickMedical,

You have a great deal of health information on your site. I come to your site and others online to get answers to medical health questions . I understand you're not just a medical question website, but I'd like to know how to get an answer online to my medical questions.

My biggest question is how do I know if I have heart disease? Heart disease is such a common problem and no matter how much I research online, I can't seem to find an answer to my problem. How do I know if I have heart disease?

Concerned Online

Thanks for writing we're glad you're reading and concerned, Concerned. Unfortunately, our answer might make you more concerned, because the answer is we definitely don't know. Click ahead to learn why.

Our weekly Facebook trivia question was, "What is the most commonly requested durable medical equipment?" This is one of the harder questions we've asked because there are many conflicting answers reported by government agencies and medical equipment retailers. Even our own answer needs qualification. Our best selling durable item is CardioChek glucose test strips.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Diabetes affects over 8% of the population. With this in mind it's obvious that physicians need the ability to perform blood tests accurately and quickly during office visits. The CardioChekPA cholesterol monitor is intended for in vitro diagnostic use to test whole blood. A health care professional can quickly measure various blood components including HDL, LDL, and glucose from a small sample size. Physicians and patients can have test results immediately and be able to take action to bring their lipids under control on-the-spot.

Sometimes immediate results in the office are not enough. Especially with diabetes patients, regular blood monitoring is necessary. CardioChek glucose test strips are the most requested durable medical supply not only because of the professional model, but because of the quality of the CardioChek Cholesterol Monitor for Home Use .

Dear QuickMedical,

I'm running a small daycare out of my home and need to start disinfecting toys. I want to use the same level of protection that a hospital or doctor's office would use. I saw you have a coupon code for PDI Super Sani Cloth Wipes . Is this the right product for my new day care center?

Thanks,

New to Daycare Dame

The quick answer. Yes. Click ahead for the coupon code and exactly why Sani-Cloth wipes are the ideal bactericidal, tuberculocidal and virucidal germicidal wipes for disinfecting and deodorizing hospitals. critical care areas, and even daycare centers.

Dear QM:

I notice you have sections on your website for dressings and bandages. I always thought they were basically the same thing. Is there a difference? What's the difference? Please clarify this!

It can be confusing, but dressings and bandages are different things, technically. Click ahead for the answer to this question from QuickMedical, your online source for medical equipment and supply questions and answers.

Another installment of QuickMedical Questions and Answers. This time a question about the law. We're not lawyers or doctors, but we'll answer your questions if you send them in.

An emailer writes:

I noticed your CLIA waived product page, but I'm not quite sure what it means. Can you explain it more simply? Thanks.

In 1988 Congress passed the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, which are known as CLIA. CLIA regulations are important. The CLIA laws establish quality standards for all laboratory testing to ensure the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of patient test results regardless of where the test was performed. Under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, a laboratory is any facility that does laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans to give information for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment of disease, or impairment of, or assessment of health.

However there are some lab tests performed with standardized equipment which are very easy to perform. When these tests are performed properly, there's very little chance for error. When certain requirements prove that inaccuracy is almost impossible for these tests the tests can be CLIA waived. CLIA waived medical products and CLIA waived medical equipment is cleared through the FDA. What does this mean for a consumer?

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.

QuickMedical Question Guy:

I bought a CardioChek Cholesterol Monitor for Home Use, from QuickMedical recently and I really want to get my LDL readings. Is there any way I can get an LDL reading on my CardioChek Cholesterol Monitor for Home Use?

LDLouie

The CardioChek Cholesterol Monitor for Home Use is an amazing device, but you might have noticed that there are no strips specifically for LDL readings. Don't worry though, an LDL reading is simple to calculate with the strips that came with your home monitor. Just follow these simple steps.

Customers and even casual web surfers will send us questions via Facebook, Twitter or email, about medical equipment and supplies. Since we're not doctors, we can't offer you specific health advice. If you're really concerned, you should always consult a health professional. This particular question was emailed to QuickMedical about Sklar medical.

Sklar Surgical Instruments is a leading manufacturer of high quality medical and surgical equipment for hospitals, surgery centers and specialty clinics. Sklar has upheld a worldwide reputation for quality medical equipment since 1892. However, an emailer writes:

Why do my instruments have a brownish stain?

Regards,

Stains

Brown surgical instruments are more than just an aesthetic problem. Why and how can you stop this?

A caller recently rang us here at QuickMedical with the following rather serious problem. She called in and told us:

"My mother is bed-ridden with diabetes. She's developed a sore on her heel and it's extremely painful. She hates when I remove her bandages because the dressings stick to her wound. Her heel rubs in bed at night. What can we do to help her wound heal and what can I use to protect her foot at night?"

We're not health professionals, but we certainly empathize with your situation. No one wants to see someone in a situation like you've described. Always first check with your doctor or other health professional before making any big changes in your mother's care. Here at QuickMedical we'd suggest collagen dressings by Cellerate. Collagen dressings are state of the art wound care innovations based from collagen and designed for deep wounds that require a moisturizing barrier. In a gel or powder, depending on your mother's wound, the dressing will speed healing and help reduce the pain she's in.

Customers and even casual web surfers will send us questions via Facebook, Twitter or email, about medical equipment and supplies. Since we're not doctors, we can't offer you specific health advice. If you're really concerned, you should always consult a health professional. But we're here to help, so without further ado, here's another QuickMedical Question, with an answer, from a curious emailer who writes:

Dear QuickMedical Questions:

My husband has an irregular heart beat and he has to monitor his blood pressure from home every day. His doctor said he can't use a wrist blood pressure monitor. Is this correct and if so can you recommend several blood pressure monitors for my review?

Yours truly,

Maria