Archive for the ‘ Used Medical Equipment ’ Category

Used Blood Pressure Cuffs for the Home

Sunday, August 22, 2010 posted by admin 2:37 am
Conventional (mechanical) sphygmomanometer wit...
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If you or a loved one has a history of high or low blood pressure, consider investing in a used blood pressure meter for personal use. These units can be purchased in excellent condition from used medical equipment suppliers at affordable discounts. Having a blood pressure meter on hand can potentially save the life of yourself or a loved one. Persistent high blood pressure (“hypertension”) can lead to heart attacks or strokes, while persistent low blood pressure (“hypotension”) can cause fainting, dizziness, and, in extreme cases, shock.

The standard manual blood pressure meter used by doctors consists of an inflatable cuff, a bulb pump and valve, and a measurement instrument. When measuring blood pressure, the inflatable cuff is fixed around the upper arm at the same height as the heart, and the bulb is used to inflate the cuff until the brachial artery in the upper arm is blocked. The pressure in the cuff is shown on the meter’s measurement instrument, which typically uses mercury to depict pressure in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).  Then, pressure in the cuff is slowly released through the unit’s valve, until the flow of blood through the artery can be heard again. Listening with a stethoscope, the pressure at which blood can be heard flowing through the artery indicates blood pressure.

Normally, when blood flows through the body, the flow of blood can be felt, but not heard. But when a blood pressure cuff is used to block the brachial artery and to let blood slowly back through, the pumping of blood through the artery can be heard. When the cuff loosens enough to allow blood to first be heard again, the pressure in the cuff indicates the systolic blood pressure. When pressure in the cuff drops so low that these sounds can no longer be heard, the pressure at which the sounds can last be heard is the diastolic blood pressure.

Knowing how to measure blood pressure is only a start, however. By buying used blood pressure cuffs, you will have affordable, professional-quality medical equipment which can save your life or that of another.

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Category : Diagnose, Medical Equipment, Used Medical Equipment

Air Purifiers for Allergies

Thursday, August 19, 2010 posted by admin 4:32 am
A Sharp FU-888SV Plasmacluster air purifier.
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Allergies occur when a person’s immune system overreacts to normally-harmless substances called allergens. Allergens may come into contact with the body in many ways, including airborne particulates, food ingredients, or insect stings. Some of the most common types of allergies are to airborne particulates, such as pollen, dust, mold, and pet dander (usually in the form of shed hair or skin particles.) These allergies can be alleviated in various ways, but one of the most convenient is through the use of an air purifier for the home. These units can be purchased new or used for reasonable prices and at excellent quality. The most effective way to alleviate indoor allergens is to eliminate the source of the allergens—for example, by improving ventilation systems or by weatherizing windows and doors. However, investing in one or more air purification units is a good idea even in well-constructed homes.

Air purifiers come in a range of shapes and sizes, from small standalone units to larger units that work with the ventilation system in the home. Air purifiers also use a variety of methods to purify air, the most common and basic of which is the use of a simple air filter which screens out particulate matter too large to pass through the holes in the filter. However, this technique may still allow very small particles to pass through unimpeded, and many allergens—including some organisms—are tiny. More sophisticated purification methods use ultraviolet light to sterilize the air, removing bacteria and other harmful or allergenic microorganisms. Still another purification method is that of ionization, using electrical charges to produce ions, which then adhere to airborne particulates. The ions are then electrostatically attracted to a collector, and disposed of. Possible drawbacks of air purifiers include noise and rare byproducts, most notably small amounts of ozone from certain types of ionizing purifiers. Ozone itself can be an allergen.

While there are many possible methods of air purification, do not assume that only one may be used at a time. Using several different types of air purifiers will give you the best chance of screening out allergenic substances.

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Category : General, Medical Equipment, Used Medical Equipment

CPAP for a Good Night’s Sleep

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 posted by admin 5:38 pm

CPAP_DeviceSleep apnea can be a debilitating condition, robbing individuals of sleep and affecting their waking performance in every area of their lives. But a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device can alleviate apnea, allowing you to experience untroubled sleep. These devices can be bought used from medical suppliers for reasonable prices.

Sleep apnea occurs in two varieties: obstructive and central. Both types involve an interruption in a person’s intake of air while asleep, which causes the body to wake up. Usually, these instances of waking are brief enough that the person does not remember them in the morning, but if they occur frequently enough during the night, they can cause symptoms of sleep deprivation. Sleep apnea usually manifests as excessive snoring, interruptions in breathing patterns while asleep, or as excessive, seemingly-inexplicable fatigue while awake.  Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles of the airway relax during sleep and occasionally block the flow of air. Muscle relaxation is normal during sleep, but does not result in a blocked airway. Obstructive sleep apnea can be caused by obesity, sleeping position, or a genetic predisposition to narrowed airways. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain’s signals to the breathing muscles become interrupted, usually due to neurological conditions or heart failure. CPAP therapy is effective at treating obstructive sleep apnea, but cannot treat the neurological basis of central sleep apnea.

A CPAP device consists of a mask that covers the mouth and/or nose, and a compressed air pump attached to the mask via a tube. The pump provides a constant stream of air to the sleeper, which increases air pressure in the throat and prevents the airway muscles from falling closed as they relax during sleep.

Because sleep apnea is a chronic condition which lasts indefinitely, CPAP therapy is likewise ongoing. Sleeping with the mask on may be a significant adjustment at first, and you may experience a few minor side effects such as skin irritation and dry nose, but these should go away after a few days. CPAP devices can be bought used, offering you an uninterrupted night’s sleep for a modest investment.

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Category : General, Used Medical Equipment

Used Nebulizers for Asthma Treatment

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 posted by admin 4:34 am

For anyone with chronic asthma, inhalers are a familiar sight. But for those unable to use inhalers, such as small children and some adults, a nebulizer can make aerosolized medications much easier to take, preventing asthma attacks and allowing a fuller and happier life. Nebulizers can be bought used, at affordable discounts, making them an excellent investment.

Asthma is a chronic condition wherein a person’s airway becomes inflamed and partially or entirely closes, preventing air flow. Asthma often comes in distinct “attacks”, which can be triggered by environmental conditions such as breathing tobacco smoke or polluted air, or by physical exertion, as in exercise. Asthma attacks can be frequent enough to interfere with daily life, or infrequent enough that the condition is not noticed for a very long time. Asthma can also be caused by genetic predisposition, although research into the specific genes involved is ongoing.

The most common treatment for an asthma attack is medication delivered to the lungs via an inhaler. Inhalers turn liquid medication into an aerosol, which is ejected in a burst of air and inhaled by the patient. However, some individuals are unable to use these devices, and in such cases a nebulizer can be an effective replacement. Nebulizers aerosolize medication in a similar manner to inhalers, but instead of delivering a single, concentrated burst of air which must be inhaled at just the right time, nebulizers use a mask to allow the patient to breathe in the aerosolized medication normally. This can be the most effective way to deliver aerosolized medication to very young children, or to adults experiencing severe asthma attacks; in both cases the patient is unable to coordinate their breathing with the inhaler’s burst.

Nebulizers have long been deemed an infeasible replacement for inhalers, due to the size and weight of nebulizer devices, and to the loud noise they generate. But in recent years, nebulizers have become more compact, lighter, and quieter, allowing for more flexible usage and portability. Consider investing in a used nebulizer if you or someone you know has asthma but is unable to use a conventional inhaler.

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Category : Medication, Used Medical Equipment

Ultrasounds are for More than Just Babies

Thursday, August 12, 2010 posted by admin 4:25 pm
Doppler ultrasound analyzer of blood velocity ...
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If you or someone you know has ever been pregnant, you have undoubtedly heard of (and possibly even seen) the use of an ultrasound machine as a method of identifying how well a baby is developing inside of its mother.  An ultrasound involves using very high frequency (extremely high pitched) sound waves, in order to examine in real time what is going on within a body without having to resort to using radioactive waves like x-rays.  A trained physician can tell an awful lot about what is going on inside of a body, using only an ultrasound image.  And ever since the old two dimensional ultrasounds were replaced by three dimensional ones, and even four dimensional versions (where one can see the movement of internal organs and blood, right as it is happening), the field has opened up to an event greater extent.

The ability to evaluate the flow of blood through your body’s veins and arteries is a process referred to as a Doppler ultrasound.  There are three different types of Doppler ultrasound currently in use in the medical field: Color Doppler, Power Doppler, and Spectral Doppler.  Color Doppler uses a computer to turn the various measurements in a group of different colors, so as to visualize the speed and direction that blood flows through any given blood vessel.  Power Doppler provides a more sensitive, detailed read out of the blood flow.  It can not tell the direction of blood flow, however.  Spectral Doppler provides a graphical display of blood flow instead of a visual one, displaying how much distance blood travels per given unit of time.

With all of these sophisticated ultrasound techniques, a lot of information can be figured out.  Symptoms can be quantified, such as pain, swelling and the effects of an infection.  Any internal organ can be checked out, such as the heart, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, bladder, eyes, thyroid, scrotum and various female parts of a patient.  Pretty much any part of a person’s body can be seen in three dimensions, during the exact moment that it is working on doing its thing.

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Category : Used Medical Equipment

Purchase Burn and Trauma Kits From Used Medical Equipment Suppliers

Sunday, August 8, 2010 posted by admin 5:50 am

When you are stocking up on safety supplies, you might want to consider purchasing burn kits from used medical equipment suppliers. When you are purchasing an item used or refurbished, you get quality items at deeply discounted prices. Many used medical equipment providers work like regular stores, and offer sales and other specials on items such as first aid burn and trauma kits.

A first aid burn and trauma kit is a bag or box of supplies or even a wall mounted cabinet holding different types of equipment one might need in an emergency situation such as a trauma or a burn. Different suppliers put different items in the kit, and the items in a kit might vary based on legislation and advice from different organizations or governmental offices. When looking at used medical equipment, look for kits that stands out visually and are waterproof. Once you have the kit in your possession, make sure you check it regularly to see if it needs to be restocked and to ascertain whether items indicate have expired or are damaged.

Look at the contents in your kit before you purchase the item from a used medical equipment supplier. In the case of the trauma such as bone fractures, bleeding, and burns, you need to have specific equipment on hand. You want to make sure the kit contains adhesive bandages such as Band-Aids made for specific body parts; sterile dressings one can apply to a wound such as sterile eye pads and petrolatum gauze pads for chest wounds; other types of bandages to secure dressings (gauze, elastic, roller, or triangular); butterfly closure strips; saline for cleaning out wounds; soap; antiseptic for reducing the risk of infection; burn dressing (a sterilized pad that is soaked in cooling gel); hypoallergenic adhesive tape; and hemostatic agents to cause blood clotting.

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Category : Diagnose, Used Medical Equipment

Stock up on First Aid Kits for Home and Workplace Safety

Friday, August 6, 2010 posted by admin 5:47 am

First aid kits are handy to have around in case of an emergency such as an injury, trauma, or burn. Some people keep first aid kits in their homes and cars, and most workplaces are mandated by law to have first aid kit on premise. Save on expenses by purchasing a first aid kit from a used medical equipment supplier. These businesses understand health medicine and the equipment that goes along with it.

A first aid kit is a collection of tools and supplies you might need in an emergency situation. The materials are kept in a waterproof container which might be a plastic box, a pouch made out of waterproof fabric, or a cabinet mounted on the wall. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) set the standard for first aid kits of being green in color with a white cross in the middle. This makes them recognizable internationally for individuals requiring first aid. Although this is the recommendation from the ISO, some organizations and individuals use other designs such as the Red Cross symbol which has a red cross on a white background. Another design has the Star of Life, which is associated with emergency medical services.

When you purchase your first aid kit from a used medical equipment supplier, double-check the contents. There are different types of kits for different regions and different activities. For example, if you are using a first aid kit for a boat, you might want to purchase a watercraft first aid kit, which contains remedies for seasickness. First-aid kits should hold supplies that help the injured party and also hold supplies to protect the person administering the first aid. Look for equipment to use for airway, breathing and circulation emergencies; supplies for trauma injuries; personal protective supplies; medication; and instruments and equipment such as tweezers, thermometers, space blankets, and scissors.

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Equipment That Treats Patients in Hypovolemic Shock

Tuesday, August 3, 2010 posted by admin 5:42 am

Hypovolemia is a condition that could prove fatal for a victim. It occurs when there is a significant decrease in blood plasma volume. Hypovolemia can be caused by dehydration, hemorrhaging, severe burns, diuretics, sweating,vomiting, and alcohol consumption. When a patient is suffering from hypovolemia, there are different methods and equipment that help the patient become stable again.

Sometimes the patient is given a blood transfusion, which re-oxygenates the blood. The victim might also have to wear trauma air pants, which provide counter pressure around the abdomen and legs. The air pants are used by emergency responders and are also used during a hospital stays.

When an individual is experiencing hypovolemia, medical professionals should monitor the kidneys and heart. The granular cells in the kidneys recognize changes in blood flow. When blood flow decreases, the kidneys secrete renin, a hormone that flows into the blood, converting to protein angiotensinogen to angiotensin. The angiotensin uses enzymes to convert to angiotensin II, which stimulates hormone release that helps the kidneys reabsorb sodium, thereby reabsorb in water. The angiotensin II contracts arterial muscles, increasing blood pressure.

The stretch receptors in the heart monitor the amount of blood that pumps from the veins into the heart. When the blood flow decreases, the receptors automatically reduce the release of atrial natriuretic peptide. To monitor the kidneys and heart, you might want to purchase the appropriate equipment.

Consult with an expert at a used medical equipment supply store to determine what the best equipment on the market is.
At a used medical equipment supply store, you can get top-quality equipment, used and refurbished, at a deep discount. Monitors and trauma air pants purchased in used medical equipment supply stores can help you diagnose hypovolemia in a victim or patient. They can help you treat to patient, and could even help save the life of the patient.

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Stock up Surgical Inventory With Used Laryngoscopes

Friday, July 30, 2010 posted by admin 5:37 am

When you are stocking up on your medical equipment inventory, you might want to consider purchasing used medical equipment such as laryngoscopes. A laryngoscope has several different uses. The tool is handy when administering general anesthesia or for assisting mechanical ventilation. It can detect causes of voice problems such as a weak voice, a breathing voice, a hoarse voice, or no voice at all. The laryngoscope can detect the source of ear pain and throat pain. It helps evaluate what is wrong when an individual has difficulty swallowing such as mucus with blood or a continuous sensation of a lump in an individual’s throats. The laryngoscope detects injuries or strictures to the throat as well as obstructive masses in the airway.

Legitimate used medical equipment suppliers have their thumbs on the pulse of the health medicine industry. They know the most current and most popular equipment that will help your lab run smoothly. As you look over the inventory at a used medical equipment supplier, you might notice that there are different types of laryngoscopes on the market.The rigid laryngoscope is used for intubation for anesthesia, critical care, and pulmonary purposes. It generally has a handle which incorporates two batteries and in interchangeable blade that has a bulb light source. The black lightbulbs enhance phosphorus illumination in vocal cords. A laryngoscope might have different types of blade. The two most common types of blade are the straight Miller and the curved Macintosh.

The direct line is used if the patient is lying on their backs. It’s inserted into the patient’s mouth on the right, and is then flipped over to the left in order to trap and move the tongue out of the line of vision. The Transnasal Flexible Laryngoscope is used in office diagnostics where patients remain awake. This instrument is generally used to observe the vocal fold during singing or speech. It does biopsies on suspicious masses. When looking at different types of laryngoscopes, consider the ways you plan to use the equipment. Consult with a used medical equipment supplier to find the optimal tools for your specific purposes.

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Category : Hospital, Used Medical Equipment

Extra Benefits When Using a Discount Rx Card

Sunday, June 6, 2010 posted by admin 3:36 am
Italian health insurance card
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If you already have a discount Rx card, you are aware of the savings it can provide you throughout the year on FDA-approved drugs. However, you might not know that there are other perks that you might be able to get when using your discount Rx card. Every company has different policies, so you might want to go to the website of your card provider to see what they offer. Or, if you prefer, use their contact information to talk to live customer service representative to ask them about the additional benefits of using your Rx discount card.

Take care of your eyes by going to a website that offers discounts using discount Rx cards. All you have to do is select your eyeglass frame and frame color then enter your prescription numbers and Pupillary Distance, which you get from your optometrist, to get great discounts. For a nominal additional fee, you can select whether or not you want anti-reflective coating or polycarbonate lenses. Some discount Rx card plans offer deep discounts on LASIK surgery for the eyes. Take care of your teeth by using a teeth whitening program approved by your discount Rx card company. You can also get discounts on dental plan. This is not a replacement for health insurance. Rather, the programs and plans provide deep discounts at particular healthcare providers for specific dental services.

Don’t let money get in the way as you take care of your general health. Discount Rx card holders sometimes get additional savings on hearing plans, which could offer you substantial savings on hearing aids. They can also help with diabetic monitoring programs. In these programs, you can get deep discounts on diabetic testing supplies, and you might be eligible for getting a free glucose meter. You might also have the opportunity to save money when purchasing vitamins over the Internet.

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Category : Used Medical Equipment