Heart attack alarm 'will save lives'

Cardiologists have designed a 'heart attack alarm' which warns wearers of the impending event with beeps or vibrations.

A medical implant can warn users about a potential heart attack through a combination of vibrations, tones and visual signs and save lives, says a study.

Named AngelMed Guardian, the device is currently undergoing clinical evaluation, reported study co-authors Mary Carol Day and Christopher Young from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), Santa Monica, CA, US.

More than 30 percent of one million heart attack victims in the US die every year before seeking medical attention. The average time from the onset of symptoms to arrival at the hospital has remained at three hours for more than 10 years, the journal Ergonomics in Design reported.

What makes the device distinctive is a combination of alert modes. Although vibrating alarms are sometimes used to warn surgeons in operating rooms or ICUs of an emergency, very little research has focused on their potential as a self-monitoring device for patients.

“A vibrotactile (vibrating) alarm provided by the implanted device has two major advantages,” said Day.

“First, the implanted device can’t be left behind like a portable device,” said Day, according to a university statement.

“Second, a vibrotactile alarm from the implanted device is more likely to be felt than an auditory alarm is to be heard because, for example, the patient may be wearing heavy clothing, has hearing loss or is in a noisy environment,” added Day.

The device offers two levels of alarm urgency: A high-priority alarm indicates that the patient may be having a heart attack and should call 911, and a low-priority alarms indicates that a condition has been detected that requires a doctor’s visit within 48 hours.

The alarms are provided by an implanted medical device, similar in size to a pacemaker, who is placed in the upper left chest, plus an external device, similar to a pager, that emits an auditory alarm and flashes a red or yellow warning light.

“If the Guardian is approved for sale by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), it might be extended in ways that will change the way the patient interacts with the system as a whole,” Day concluded.

Many heart attack victims do not have classic early warning signs like intense chest pain, or sweating, and experience nothing more than mild discomfort. Others ignore the signs or recognise them too late. The result is it is often hours before they seek medical help. For some, that delay is fatal.

The inventors of the AngelMed Guardian System hope the device will cut the death rate from heart attacks by a quarter, by alerting the wearer as soon as possible.

This will enable them to get to hospital perhaps two hours sooner than they would have done, reducing the chance of death and preserving heart muscle.  Continue - - - - - - -

Natural Thrush Treatment and Overgrown

Thrush is a very uncomfortable condition since it happens in the mouth area. It can be cured naturally with the use of yogurt, clove oil, apple cider vinegar and wormwood. Your diet can also help in relieving the infection.

Thrush, which is also commonly referred to as Candida Albicans, is a condition caused by yeast fungus. It normally occurs in the area of the mouth especially in babies. You know you have thrush if you find some white spots on your tongue that bleed once touched. Even if you try to wipe them away, they simple will not be removed. 

There are many treatments that deal with the yeast infection. However, the best way to treat thrush is through natural remedies. When you go natural, you always know that what you are doing is safe and will not have any side effects.

One of the best ways to treat thrush naturally is through yogurt. Eating yogurt as often as you can will help the yeast infection to go away. This is because yogurt has good bacteria that can regulate the amount of Candida Albicans present in the mount. You need to make sure though that the yogurt is natural and pure. If it is sweetened, the yeasts may just feed on it.

Wormwood is another known way to eliminate thrush. It is known for its ability to balance the amount of bacteria present in the mouth area. It regulates the level of good and bad bacteria therefore it reduces the severity of the yeast production. Clove oil is also essential in getting rid of the white patches. One important thing to note though is that clove oil is a very strong type of oil. This means that when it is used, it can be overpowering for people. Therefore, an important step is to dilute it. You can either dilute it with coconut oil or other carrier oils available near you.

If you are fond of apple cider vinegar, you can also use it to deal with the thrush. Candida Albicans cannot survive a very acidic environment. Therefore, if you apply apple cider vinegar, then the yeast will surely die. You will need the raw variety though and not the processed one. The raw apple cider vinegar is more acidic and has healthier attributes. Just remember to dilute it first because this vinegar is really strong. You do not want to hurt your tongue or skin so better be careful.

The next one is probably the easiest and the cheapest natural remedy for thrush – light and air. You’ve read it right. By exposing the affected area to light and giving it air, the infection can go away. This is because yeast like places that are dark and wet. It does not like very bright places therefore it dies.

Your diet can also affect the Candida Albicans in your mouth area. As much as possible, you need to avoid sweet foods first including fruits as they may provide food for the yeast and trigger the reproduction.

These are just some of the natural ways on how you can treat thrush. Remember that you do not always have to rely on medicines if you natural remedies are available. For serious cases, however, it is advisable to check with a doctor to find out the best way to deal with the problem.