Medical supplies are tools that doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and even patients in some cases, can use to test a hypothesis about symptoms the patient has experienced. Diagnostic medical supplies can help provide the confirming information needed to turn an educated guess into an accurate diagnosis of the patient's condition. From that point, the clinician can create an evidence-based treatment plan to either cure or at least manage the patient's condition.
Here are some common diagnostic medical supplies, and how they are used to help a variety of patients and their conditions.
1. Medical Supplies for Diabetes
Diabetes is quite common, especially in the United States, and has even been labeled "an epidemic" by some public health researchers. Some diabetics acquire the disease through family history, aka hereditary markers passed along in the genes from parent to offspring, and others acquire it through poor diet and lack of exercise.
There's no "cure" for diabetes at this point. There are however drugs, diet and exercise plans that can help manage the disease so that people diabetics can live a rewarding lifestyle, albeit with some limitations and restrictions in their diet.
Before we get to treatment though, there is another crucial step: Diagnosis. The blood glucose meter is a very common diagnostic medical supply for diabetics. Blood glucose meters measure, put simply, the level of glucose ("sugar") in the blood. They are performed by people managing their diabetes on a daily basis. The person pricks their skin to draw a drop of blood, and then collects that drop f blood onto a test strip. The person then inserts the test strip into the blood glucose meter, which then issues a quick result on the glucose level. Each diabetic is informed by their doctor, usually a diabetes specialist such as an endocrinologist, nephrologist, or "diabetologist" in some rare cases, what the acceptable range should be for their glucose measurement.
In addition to the link above, "Medical Supplies for Diabetes," you can also read more about blood glucose meters and test strips here:
Shop for Medical Supplies for Diabetes Here
I highly suggest you learn the process of testing your blood sugar in the following resources so that you can gain more familiarity with these diagnostic medical supplies.
- How to perform a glucose monitoring self-test with a glucose meter
- Want to know what other tests are performed for diabetes diagnosis?
Bonus Material:
- Diabetes Risk Factors
- Diabetes Symptoms
- Diabetes Complications
2. Medical Supplies for High Blood Pressure
It is highly common for someone with diabetes to also have high blood pressure. These two co-morbid conditions typically go hand-in-hand. So here are some medical supplies you need to know about that your doctor or nurse will use in the clinic to measure your blood pressure so that they can make sure it is within a healthy range.
I'll also show you where to shop for blood pressure kits you can purchase for your home or travels. I believe medical supplies for home monitoring and diagnosis are critical to good health because in many cases early detection can enable you to live a healthier lifestyle for a longer period of time.
Diagnostic Medical Supplies for High Blood Pressure
In 6 Common Types of Diagnostic Medical Equipment I outline and summarize the most common ways blood pressure is measured and monitored (among other diagnostic medical supplies used for other conditions). Here is a brief summary of 4 types of sphygmomanometers (a medical supply that measure blood pressure):
- Manual sphygmomanometers are considered the most reliable. Most commonly used in emergency departments and patient rooms, they use mercury in the device to measure the blood pressure and don't require routine calibration. Often essential to use in high-risk scenarios.
- Aneroid sphygmomanometers can lose their calibration when bumped, so you'll typically find these wall-mounted in clinic exam rooms. The aneroid style is what we see most commonly when we report for our annual physical exam in the clinic: a mechanical unit with a dial for the readings, as well as a bulb and air valve.
- Digital finger blood pressure monitors are small, portable, and easy to use, but a bit less accurate.
- Digital sphygmomanometers, like the digital finger blood pressure monitors, are also electronic. They can be inflated either manually or automatically. Easy to use.
Growing Options for Home Medical Supplies for Blood Pressure Measurement
Thanks to the ingenuity of medical supply manufacturers, there is a growing list of convenient home devices you can shop for to find what will be most convenient and effective for you, including:
- Automatic Digital
- Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors
- Blood Pressure Kits that work with your iPad