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Portable Medical Instruments

Portable medical instruments aid in improving health and can even save lives. They act as an intermediate or supplement, but not a substitute for, professional medical advice and services. Personal monitoring is often mandatory for many people, but it is also becoming more and more a choice for the health conscious.

  1. Blood Pressure Monitors

    • Blood pressure monitors provide a quick and easy way to self-monitor blood pressure. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), high blood pressure is a serious condition and can be life-threatening. High blood pressure can lead to kidney and heart failure, stroke and coronary heart disease. According to NHLBI, about one and three adults in America have high blood pressure. Regular blood pressure checks are advised. Modern blood pressure monitors are user friendly and often have large digital readouts and memory capabilities to monitor improvement.

    Blood Glucose Meter

    • A blood glucose meter is a small hand-held device that allows people with diabetes or hypoglycemia to test and monitor their blood sugar levels at home. Using the lancet and test strip that often comes with the blood glucose meter, a blood sample is obtained. The blood sample collected is tested by the meter to calculate a person's glucose level. According to the American Diabetes Association, from a 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 23.6 million children and adults in America have diabetes.

    Automated External Defibrillation

    • An Automated External Defibrillation (AED) is a portable medical device for cardiac arrest. It is designed to be used during cardiac arrest and while waiting for emergency services to arrive. According to St. John Ambulance, without intervening instruments like the AED, there is a 10 percent decrease in survival rate every minute following a cardiac arrest. In a 2004 study by the New England Journal of Medicine, the AED was found to double the chances of cardiac arrest survival. The Heart and Stroke Foundation also states that 70 percent of cardiac arrests occur in homes and in public places, making the AED an important portable medical instrument.

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