Archive for December, 2010

Wireless Heart Monitoring Devices Help Caregivers Stay Informed

Heart monitoring medical equipment devices are a great solution for patients who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, but they are only as effective as a patient’s willingness to wear one.

A recent innovation in medical equipment devices allows doctors to use wireless communication and “cloud computing” so patients can wear cordless heart monitors on a regular basis.

New cordless heart monitoring devices from Corventis are able to communicate the activity of a person’s heart via wireless technology. This device, known as the Avivo, utilizes a disposable sensor that sticks directly on the patient’s chest, along with a receiver that is about the size of a mobile phone. In addition to a patient’s heart rate, the Avivo sends other data through the Bluetooth-enabled device, including fluid stats, activity, posture and respiratory rates. This information is sent in real-time through cellular networks to cardiographic technologists at Corventis, where they are analyzed thoroughly. Caregivers can then access reports on a secure web site or have them sent via email, phone or fax in the event of abnormal signals.

With the older, more cumbersome heart monitoring devices being so inconvenient to use, and many patients choosing to abandon them when sleeping, caregivers are pleased to have a way to stay on top of their patient’s cardiovascular health in a more reliable and consistent manner. This is the first time an infrastructure has been developed whereby a signal containing such vital information could be send to through a secure network remotely.

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Used Medical Equipment Web Sites Make for Easy and Inexpensive Upgrades

It is incredible how much the internet has changed the way we buy and sell just about everything.  Remember the days when you still needed to request a catalog from a medical equipment supplier and ask a rep to come and give an in-person demo?  While most suppliers still publish printed catalogs, most have converted their sales operations to the Internet, where potential buyers can interact with sales reps via chat or email, download data sheets, and watch videos about how the latest medical devices work.

The same is true with used medical equipment.  In the past, hospitals would have a hard time “recycling” their used equipment or selling it to other hospitals without placing a classified ad in a trade journal.  Today there is a much simpler and more reliable way of buying and selling used medical equipment.  Several major web sites now specialize in used lab equipment, patient monitors, EKG machines, imaging equipment and durable medical equipment.   While it may have taken some time to develop this concept, today these sites are relied upon to deliver used and refurbished equipment to doctors, dentists, surgeons, clinics and hospitals.

In addition to being a clearinghouse for the purchase of used medical equipment; many hospitals find these specialized web sites to be the easiest way to sell their used equipment.  As long as the machine is still operable and accurate, it can probably be sold online.  The alternative, which is keeping the old equipment around and not using it, can be a financial drain on a hospital or medical practice.  Instead, many hospitals choose to sell their used equipment and turn it into a profit center.

Whether buying or selling, a used medical equipment web site is a secure way to do business.  The leading sites have dedicated and experienced sales reps available to answer questions, assist with training, and ensure complete customer satisfaction.   Many healthcare professionals opt to sell their unused equipment and buy high-quality refurbished equipment at the same time as an efficient and inexpensive way to upgrade.

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Smart Pill Technology a Breakthrough for Physicians and Patients

New technology is at the heart of the medical equipment industry, as evidenced by most of the news items on industry web sites, but sometimes a new development is interesting enough to make even the non-medical world take notice. A recent innovation from Proteus Biomedical is one of those developments. With their new “Smart Pill” sensor, it is possible to monitor one’s prescribed medications and track their effectiveness in treating ailments. It works by relaying information back to doctors after a patient swallows the “smart pill”.

As a medical breakthrough, “smart pill” technology is one that will be used in many different ways as time goes on. By incorporating sensors that can be ingested by a patient, the pills are able to send vital information about the patient’s health condition. The sensors combine edible minerals normally found in food, such as copper, silicon and magnesium, with the actual medicine to ensure safe digestion. Smart pills will be used in certain medicines to treat cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis and diabetes, plus some psychiatric ailments.

Sensors embedded in the pills send a minimally powered signal that is activated when the minerals interact with stomach acids. The signal is picked up by a microelectronic receiver worn by the patient, which looks more like a band-aid. When the information is received, it is date-stamped and relayed directly to physicians and caregivers via text message or email.

Not only does the smart pill allow doctors to track whether a patient has actually taken their medication, but it also checks the patient’s vital functions to warn doctors if their health is negatively impacted by the medicine. Since everyone reacts differently to a medication, the smart pill allows physicians to respond quickly or change the dosage in real-time.

Medical equipment giant Medtronics is working with the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis to get the smart pill from Proteus through the last stages of development before it can be approved for use by doctors and patients. This innovation is expected to become the “internal speedometer” to manage patient health in real time.

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Who Are the Best Candidates for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)?

With all the discussion about implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) versus Medtronic’s new cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), patients and physicians are investigating the major differences between the two. But in order to understand the complexities of this new medical equipment, it is imperative to understand the need for the original ICD.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators are devices that are implanted surgically and are designed to send an electric current through a patient’s heart. Not much larger than a mobile phone, ICDs have two main components: a pulse generator and leads. A pulse generator runs on a battery and is there to keep track of the heart rhythms. A lead is a physical wire that runs from the pulse generator to the inside of the heart and is used to send signals from the heart into the pulse generator as well as sending an electric current from the pulse generator back into the heart.

Who needs an ICD?

Anyone who has life threatening heart rhythm problems, or arrhythmia, is a candidate for the medical equipment ICD. Just like a pacemaker is used in the sinoatrial node to set the heart’s “pace” to beat steadily, the atria generates an electrical current that travels from the top of the heart to the bottom. In order to work properly and produce a regular beat, the chambers of the heart need to work together and work properly. When this is not happening the way it should, doctors will often recommend an ICD.

Patients diagnosed with ventricular fibrillation, where the heart beats too quickly and unevenly within the ventricles, can often pass out very quickly. Without immediate intervention with external paddles, a patient could die within 5 to 10 minutes. Because these episodes of ventricular fibrillation can happen without warning, it can be difficult to get treatment quickly enough. However, when an ICD is implanted, the heart can be stimulated with an electrical current from the inside, thereby preventing hospitalization and death.

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