Medical Supplies You Should Have In Storage

Medical emergencies are something that could strike anyone at any time, no matter how old or young the person may be. Luckily, the Internet age has made it much easier to acquire medical supplies that go above and beyond the standard First-Aid kit.

 

It is unfortunate that many homeowners do not even own a First-Aid kit, let alone any specialized medical gear. The following items are common medical items that have been proven to save lives.

 

First-Aid Kit

The two main functions of a First-Aid kit are to stop bleeding and to keep wounds from getting infected. The items included are gauze, antibiotic cream, band-aids, medical tape, and a cold pack to treat muscle strains. This is the basic kit that any safety-conscious homeowner should have.

 

Defibrillator

This apparatus is designed to start a heart that has stopped beating as a result of cardiac arrest. This is especially useful for those who are not trained in CPR. The reason is that defibrillators often come with clear-cut instructions for operation. With that being said, at least one member of a household should be trained in CPR. These classes are fairly cheap and are usually offered at a community’s activity center.

 

Suture Kit

Many people think that stitching a wound is a complex procedure; however, the reality is that it is the same fundamental procedure as stitching a seam. Do some research online on how to sew and confer with your doctor regarding the slight differences between the two procedures. It is a skill that most people never need, but it is always good to know how to be able to stitch a wound in case of an emergency. This is what field medics who are stationed in war zones specialize in.

 

Stethoscope

A stethoscope is what doctors use to listen to a patient’s heartbeat and pulse. This checks for any irregularities in heartbeat or blood flow, which are both early warning signs of cardiac arrest. If there is a clot forming somewhere in the body, then you will be able to hear the flow of the person’s blood moving at a slower pace. This also may indicate that the artery is blocked. The best course of action is to give the person an aspirin to thin their blood and call the paramedics immediately.

 

Catheters

When most people hear the word catheter they think of a urinary catheter. While this is certainly a common use of catheters, the reality is that they have several uses. When shopping for medical catheters it is important to understand that different sizes have different functions. Some other uses for catheters include cardiovascular, neurovascular, and gastrointestinal issues.

 

By owning this simple list of items you will be sufficiently prepared for any medical emergency that comes your way.

Categories: aid kit, Blood, cardiac arrest, catheters, health concerns, items, Medical, medical supplies, nbsp

Exercise Helps Ease Depression in Heart Failure Patients

A new study has discovered that exercise could prove to be beneficial to people who have had heart failure and are also depressed. Researchers suggests that those who exercise for an hour and a half to two hours each week had a slightly lower depression score, which resulted in a reduced risk of re-hospitalisation and death related to heart complaints. People who have cardiac disease commonly suffer from depression, so this study could prove to be beneficial to those with the disease and mental health condition. However, researchers stated that at present the effect of exercise is only modest – further studies would need to take place to see if there are any ways of improving this or garnering a more effective response from the regime. Nearly six million people in the US alone have heart failure, with those figures rising exponentially when the rest of the world is factored in. Up to 40 percent of these people also struggle with depression.

Exercise offers numerous benefits for our health, namely that it improves our circulation, reduces the risk of heart problems, stroke and obesity-related diseases, and it improves our mood – previous studies have shown that those who exercise regularly see an improvement in their overall wellbeing. It can help to lower stress and ease anxiety, both of which are known to be aggravators for heart strain. The study was carried out over a four year period and involved 2322 stable heart failure patients. The patients took part in three thirty-minute workout sessions for three months, and then were given a treadmill or stationary bike to continue their workouts at home for a further nine months. Around 28 percent of these people were clinically depressed at the start of the study, but this tended to drop with exercise.

Categories: cardiac arrest, depression, heart health

New Hidden Devices Will Help You Survive Heart Attacks

Suffering from a heart attack in a public place may now become a less dangerous event, thanks to defibrillators that are hidden away all over the place, in Hong Kong. This will give people the best chance of surviving some kind of cardio event and will improve their chances of long-term heart wellness.

Installed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, these automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) have been placed in 80 sports grounds and parks, and by June this year there will be AEDs in 174 additional locations.

This follows on from the devices being installed in water sports centres, public swimming pools and on beaches over two years ago, with the aim of protecting the wellbeing of heart patients. The LSD is also embarking on an education programme, helping the public understand how to use the devices, so that they can save lives, should the need occur.

The point of AEDs is that they are suitable for anyone to use – you do not have to be a trained professional. Learning how to use AEDs could save a life, and that could be of a stranger in the street, or it could actually be of a family member of someone close to you, so it may be a skill that you never regret acquiring. The training is open to all, and is being conducted in numerous locations, such as the Fire Services Department and the Hospital authority.

AEDs help to restore a regular heartbeat in patients who are having a cardiac arrest. Studies have shown that if they are used on a patient within the first five minutes of their arrest, they have a 50 percent greater chance of living.

Just last week in Hong Kong, a man went into cardiac arrest on a football pitch, and the newly-installed AED was used on him, likely saving his life.

New Hidden Devices Will Help You Survive Heart Attacks

Categories: aeds, cardiac arrest, defibrillator, Device, devices, heart, hong kong, installed, public, services department