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Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Product Highlight: Nonin WristOx2™ Starter Kit

Nonin WristOx2 with finger sensor
When it comes to the best of the best, the Nonin WristOx2™ 3150 is a top contender in the medical industry. It’s designed with Nonin’s PureSAT® signal processing technology, which filters each pulse at a time to deliver the most accurate measurements – even during challenging environments or critical SpO2 levels.
Due to its advanced capabilities, the WristOx2 3150 can be used for a wide range of applications, including overnight sleep studies, cardio-ambulatory monitoring, remote wireless monitoring and even daily activity monitoring. Along with versatility in function, it is extremely portable and easy to use in one’s own home or a clinical setting.
nVision Software & Download Cable
The ability to record and store patients’ oximetry readings is vital, especially when you’re trying to reach a diagnosis. Thankfully, the Nonin WristOx2™ 3150 Starter Kit comes with a smart data management software, called nVision, and a download cable to help you transfer readings.
  • The nVision software, with screening and reporting applications, makes it possible to view and analyze a patient’s results easily. It can even pre-screen patients for an overnight sleep study or a 6 Minute Walk Test.
  • While the USB download cable makes it possible to download results faster, the 3150SK also comes with Bluetooth wireless capability (up to 100 meters in range), which offers a convenient alternative to transferring data securely.
Ideal for Overnight Studies and More
An average pulse oximeter can hold between 24-80 hours of SpO2 and heart rate data, but the WristOx2™ has an enhanced memory of up to 1,080 hours! This bounty of storage comes in handy when you need a pulse oximeter for extended periods of monitoring, which means you’ll need a powerful battery to match. The 3150’s battery life can last up to 48 hours without using Bluetooth and 24 hours with continuous Bluetooth.
Comfortable Design
No matter how advanced the technology is, this pulse oximeter is actually very simple and comfortable to use. Clinicians can pre-program the oximeter before sending it home with a patient. Then, all it takes is putting it on!
Design features include:
  • Secure and ergonomic wrist and finger placement
  • A soft rubber finger cap instead of a finger clip that can be troublesome and easily removed
  • No bulky cables or wires, allowing patients to move without restriction in their sleep
Get comfort, accuracy and innovative technology all-in-one with Nonin’s WristOx2™ 3150SK from Concord Health Supply.

Friday, July 22, 2016

iHeart: Measure Your Internal Age / How It Works

iHeart lets you measure and track your internal age. There is an abundance of research that indicates a strong relationship between arterial stiffness, heart health and the risk of premature death from all causes. Until now, you needed equipment costing thousands of dollars to accurately measure your aortic stiffness. iHeart is an inexpensive solution that clips on your finger and provides results in 30 seconds.

Check out our website for more information on this product:
 https://www.concordhealthsupply.com/iHeart-Your-Internal-Age-p/75007.htm

WHAT IS AORTIC PULSE WAVE VELOCITY?

Imagine a single health metric able to identify people in their 20’s at increased risk for development of Heart Disease, Stroke and Dementia. What if this health indicator could estimate how long you will live? Incredibly, for the last 20 years medical scientists have known that Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity, which is used to measure stiffness of the Aorta (shown below) is closely related to risk of death from all causes and able to define risk in young people for development of Heart Disease Stroke and Dementia.

You and your doctor probably haven’t heard of Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity because this measurement has required expensive and complicated equipment with a price tag of over $20,000 USD 
Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity is closely related to and is a measure of stiffness along the spinal column. Increased stiffness of the spine results in decreased mobility of the body’s core regions affecting chest wall and diaphragmatic motion. When pulse wave velocity increases in speed, Core Mobility is reduced and the Internal Organs receive less of a massaging action with each breath. This decreases organ circulation, affecting organ function, overall health and longevity.

Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity not only assesses risk of illness but also shows improvement with attention to diet, exercise and stress management. Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity is a way to ‘look inside’ and can help people objectively appreciate the benefit of positive lifestyle choices.

How is Pulse Wave Velocity measured? 
Measurement in the past used pressure sensors placed precisely over the Carotid artery in the neck and the Femoral artery in the groin to measure speed with which pulse waves travel down the Aorta. Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity (AoPWV) is the common way scientists measure of Aortic Stiffness.

Recently it has become possible to measure AoPWV using a single fingertip pulse sensor and application called iHeart Internal Age. iHeart uses a 30-second test to locate and characterize a wave in the fingertip pulse signal that travels down the Aorta, reflects back from the distal Aorta towards the heart and then travels on to the finger. The speed with which this Reflected Wave travels is closely related to Aortic Stiffness. iHeart Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity measurement has been tested against the ‘gold standard’ Carotid-Femoral AoPWV measurement system and found to correlate very well. Below you can see the reflected wave in the pulse shape of both a young person, and old person. Reflected Wave Reflected Wave Older Individual Younger Individual
Above you can see the wave pattern while the iHeart test is being performed.

There are other ways to measure AoPWV. One alternative method uses a pulse sensor on a finger and a toe. The distance from the heart to a fingertip and the distance from the end of the Aorta and down a leg to a toe is about the same. The difference in arrival time of the finger and toe pulses is closely related to AoPWV but age creates errors when compared to Carotid-Femoral PWV. Diagram copied from ‘A novel device for measuring arterial stiffness using finger-toe pulse wave velocity: Validation study of the pOpmètre’ Archives of Cardiovascular Disease (2015) 108, 227—234
It is important to recognize that not all PWV measurements are good indicators of health and predictive for risk of illness. Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity is the only metric able to assess overall health and predict lifespan.

What can be done to improve Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity and Internal Age?

Many factors can increase pulse wave velocity and Internal Age. Things like:

• sedentary lifestyle
• minimal exercise/movement
• poor diet
• high stress levels
• Smoking
• excessive drinking

Your first iHeart Internal Age/AoPWV reading is a starting point, using the iHeart device you can see how your lifestyle choices are affecting pulse wave velocity and Internal Age, and tweak your life- style to achieve the lowest Internal Age possible, improving health and increasing lifespan.

Lifestyle factors that may lower a user’s pulse wave velocity and Internal Age: 
• Increased movement/activity*
• Improved diet
• Improved sleep quality
• Improved stress levels
• Dietary supplementation**
• Increased hydration levels
• Stretching

How do I test correctly with my iHeart device to accurately measure Pulse Wave Velocity?

To achieve an accurate test follow these steps:

• Try to test at the same time each day
• Sit for 2 minutes before testing
• Do not talk or move while testing
• Do not test within two hours of drinking coffee, alcohol, or smoking a cigarette

Think of the pulse wave velocity test like a blood pressure cuff at the drug store, you wouldn’t be moving, you would have sat there for a couple minutes while the machine prepared to test your blood pressure. iHeart pulse wave velocity testing protocol is quite similar.

How long until I see my pulse wave velocity score change?

The great thing about iHeart and the pulse wave velocity and Internal Age test is that changes are seen quite quickly after a user begins incorporating positive choices into their lifestyle. We suggest testing at the same time each day to attain your baseline, but you can also test before and after specific activities to see how those activities or habits affect you on the inside. Use iHeart to learn how your body reacts to different stimulus and keep up with the good, and ditch the bad. Soon you’ll see your pulse wave velocity score and Internal Age drop, improving health and increasing lifespan.

What is a good pulse wave velocity score?
Below is a graph that shows optimal pulse wave velocity scores for different ages, with iHeart. Pulse wave velocity is measured in meters per second (m/s).
* Always see a doctor before changing your exercise routine to make sure it is safe
 ** Always see a doctor before adding supplements to your diet to make sure they are safe 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Best Times to Check Your Pulse Oximeter

We've asked the COPD community if there are key times to measure your blood oxygen levels, and according to the responses, there are! To put a spin on it, we made a handy infographic displaying the best times to use your pulse oximeter to measure oxygen saturation. This is especially handy for people who have just been prescribed to oxygen therapy. Take a look!


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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Use of Pulse Oximeters at High Altitudes

Back in the 1940s, when oximetry was first being used by wartime pilots in the U.S. military, "aviation ear meters" could indicate the blood/oxygen status of pilots flying at high altitudes. This technology was modified and improved during the '50s and later marketed for use in hospitals in the late 1960s. Unfortunately, these new devices were heavy and cumbersome and had bulky, uncomfortable earpieces. They were also very expensive, selling for somewhere around $10,000.

Today's pulse oximeters, by contrast, are small, easy-to-use devices that can be purchased for less than $20, carried in your pocket and simply slipped over your fingertip any time you want to check the oxygen saturation level of your blood. The technology has continued to improve over the past decades. Today, Pulse-Ox units are primarily utilized in home healthcare environments, in emergency response vehicles and in hospitals and clinics. There is, however, an ever-growing market of users who want the benefits oximeters can offer to tourists visiting areas located in higher altitudes, climbers and athletes competing at high elevations.

Lesson #1
What We Learned from Mexico City

Most would agree that the air is "thinner" at higher altitudes and that less oxygen is available for breathing. The fact is, air always consists of the same 20.93% oxygen (O2), regardless of elevation. What does decrease as elevation increases is air pressure. And, as atmospheric pressure lessens so does the amount of oxygen you breathe in with each breath. This, in turn, causes respirations to increase as compensation. There will also be a corresponding drop in the percentage of oxygen saturation in your bloodstream.

Normal blood oxygen readings at sea level are between 95-98%. When you breathe in, the oxygen going into your lungs exerts something called "partial pressure" which corresponds directly to ambient atmospheric pressure. This is important because the partial pressure in your lungs is greater than the pressure in the blood (hemoglobin) surrounding your lungs. At sea level, the partial pressure of O2 is 159mmHg. In Mexico City however, at an altitude of more than 7,200', oxygen's partial pressure is only 125mmHg. It was discovered during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City that higher elevations meant lower blood oxygen saturation, leading to decreased athletic performance. Breathing supplemental oxygen could bring temporary relief from these low oxygen levels and is now commonly used during competitions at high altitude as well as other activities taking place at higher elevations.

Lesson #2
Deadly Airplane Crashes Cause Hypoxia Concerns

In September, 2014, two small airplanes went down and suspicions pointed to pilot unconsciousness due to hypoxia, or inadequate oxygenation of the blood. Symptoms of hypoxia include:

  • Headache, lightheadedness
  • Hot flashes
  • Impaired vision
  • Confusion
  • Sweating, lip tingling
  • Raised heart rate
  • Increased respirations

Although symptoms will vary from one individual to another, you might think that avid, experienced pilots, as these two were, would be aware of the problem and do something to remedy it. If, however, confusion is a factor, thoughts may become illogical.

After these incidents occurred, the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) sent out a message of concern to their members warning of the dangers hypoxia posed to pilots, especially those operating aircraft with non-pressurized cabins. They went on to state that, in their opinion, use of a pulse oximeter "is the best defense against hypoxia," and they recommended the use of these devices to check for blood saturation levels every ten to fifteen minutes while flying.

While FAA regulations require the use of supplemental oxygen for pilots operating at certain altitudes (FAR Part 91, Sec 91.211), none have yet to require use of pulse oximetry for checking blood oxygen levels quickly and dependably.

Lesson #3
Normal Home Altitude Saturation Levels

If you're thinking of going on a northern nomadic expedition or, perhaps, climbing Kilimanjaro, you'd be smart to have a pulse oximeter in your pocket. How you respond to being at significant altitudes will depend partly on the elevation where you normally live. Most people living at sea level will have blood oxygen saturation levels of 95%+, which is normal. If, however, those same people were atop Mt Kilimanjaro, which stands at nearly 20,000', a "normal" saturation level is between 70-75%.

In addition, saturation level and saturation tolerance are two different things, and each person will tolerate a reduced oxygen level differently. Although much will have to do with the elevation level at which you normally live, reactions to high altitude also depend on other factors such as:

  • Age
  • Health status
  • Tobacco smoking history
  • Exercise history, and more

Tourists/vacationers planning to spend time at any high altitudes should definitely take the precaution of having a pulse oximeter in their pockets and ready access to supplemental oxygen. The same goes for climbers, competing athletes and pilots.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Product Spotlight: Nonin GO2 Achieve Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

A lot of things in life, especially when they’re health related, are out of our control. With the Nonin GO2 Achieve Fingertip Pulse Oximeter, control is quite literally in the palm of your hands. An oximeter was created to measure the oxygen saturation in blood and provide a reading that is faster than, but just as accurate as, taking a blood sample. It provides fast, accurate results and is easy to use.

neon green Nonin GO2 Achieve SpO2 Monitor

Design
The Nonin GO2 is designed to be as effective and efficient as possible. From fun colors like blue, green, red, pink, white and orange, with an easy-to-read a screen that faces you, this product was designed with the customer in mind. Many oximeters will have the information facing you upside down. In the case of the GO2 oximeter, the screen faces you to make it easy to read the numbers when they pop up on the large, digital screen. This product, made in the USA, is durable and built to last. Small in size, the portable pulse oximeter can easily fit into a protective case and still not take up too much space.

Accurate Results
Nonin invented the first finger pulse oximeter and has continued to be the most trusted brand because of its accuracy. By giving quick and correct readings, this model reinforces why the brand should be trusted. No matter what environment you are in, you can always expect to get the right reading. Use the oximeter after you exercise, in high altitude or air travel and your results will consistently be reliable. Get hospital level results in the comfort of your own home or wherever life may take you.

Easy To Use
This product makes getting a reading very easy. There are no buttons to press; the process is as easy as slipping it on your finger, pressing a button and waiting for your results to appear. Also, don’t worry about forgetting a charger and having your oximeter dying on you. With this product, you can ditch the wall chargers and keep a single AAA battery on hand for weeks and weeks of power, and there aren’t any cords, wires or device startups to delay the reading.

Overall, the Nonin GO2 is the perfect medical device to have on hand. Avoid making that extra trip to the hospital to get your pulse rate and oxygen saturation readings. Purchase it today to provide yourself with quality health services at the tips of your fingers!

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

A Closer Look at Sleep Apnea

snoring man and tired wife

Sleep apnea often goes unrecognized and untreated, yet it affects as many as 18 million Americans alone. Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your breathing during sleep in one of three of ways:

  1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea – The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes and blocks the airway, disrupting breathing and causing snoring.
  2. Central Sleep Apnea – Much less common, central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles that control breathing, disrupting normal breathing and sometimes causing snoring.
  3. Complex Sleep Apnea – The least common, complex sleep apnea is a combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

All forms of sleep apnea disrupt normal sleep cycles as breathing is interrupted throughout the night, typically for 10 to 20 seconds, up to hundreds of times per night. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to: diabetes, heart disease or heart failure, stroke, weight gain and high blood pressure. While identifying sleep apnea on your own can be difficult – most people don’t remember waking up during the night – there are some signs you can keep an eye out for.

Signs of Sleep Apnea
If your partner frequently complains about loud snoring followed by gasping or choking noises, there’s a good chance you have sleep apnea. If you don’t sleep with a partner, you can record yourself during the night to find out if you are snoring and gasping. Additional signs include: morning headaches, sleepiness throughout the day, learning problems, mood swings or personality changes, or having a dry mouth and sore throat when you wake up.

Sleep Apnea Causes
Sleep apnea is more prevalent in men, smokers, overweight people and those over the age of 65. Additional risk factors include having a deviated septum, a thick neck or enlarged tonsils (a common cause of sleep apnea in children). With treatment however, those who suffer from sleep apnea can control the symptoms and get their sleep and life back on track.

LungBoost Respiratory Trainer box

Sleep Apnea Treatments
There are many at-home remedies you can try, including quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, and maintaining regular sleep hours. You can also try sleeping on your side, propping up your head and opening your nasal passages with breathing strips or a nasal dilator. Recent studies show regular exercise and respiratory trainers can also help those who suffer from severe sleep apnea.

If you cannot find relief on your own, it’s time to see a doctor. Your doctor can help determine if you have sleep apnea, the cause, and most importantly, the best treatment option for you.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Product Highlight: Deluxe 5 Point Rolling Stand w/ Adjustable pole Height

The Nonin Deluxe 5 Point Rolling Stand, with an adjustable pole height, makes it easy to move with your Nonin pulse oximeter and serve more patients faster and better than ever. Nonin pulse oximeters are suited for both clinical and at-home applications. With an adjustable rolling stand, no matter where you’re at, you can easily turn your tabletop oximeter into a portable pulse oximeter.

Nonin is known for producing high quality, non-invasive monitoring solutions that are used around the world. Their oximeters provide a wide variety of display indicators, so you can do more with less. To best see these indicators, the deluxe rolling stand was designed with an adjustable pole. Whether you’re sitting, standing or on-the-go, this deluxe rolling stand makes using and reading your pulse oximeter a breeze.

Nonin Deluxe 5 Point Rolling Stand Features

hospital rolling stand with basket

When you’re searching for a stand that’s easy to roll in any direction, can reliably hold your oximeter and can store pulse oximeter accessories, look no further than the Deluxe 5 Point Rolling Stand. This adjustable pulse oximeter stand is guaranteed to hold your Oximeter, so you can rest assured it won’t fall off the stand while you’re in the midst of taking a reading. The 5 point rolling system allows for better balance and maneuverability, so you can easily move around a patient’s bed and from room-to-room when necessary.

The deluxe stand also comes complete with a convenient basket that allows you to store and carry oximeter accessories, as well as other items your patients might need. Whether you need to carry wristbands and lanyards or you like to travel with extra cables and batteries, this adjustable pulse oximeter stand has got you covered.

When you need to increase the portability of your pulse oximeter, and when you want to be able to transport extra supplies at the same time, search no further than the Nonin Deluxe 5 Point Rolling Stand w/ Adjustable pole Height from Concord Health Supply. Have a question? We can help! Contact Concord today for fast, friendly and knowledgeable customer service.