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Cardiac Science

Thursday, February 26, 2009
A defibrillator is a lifesaving machine that should be installed in every building with more than two people in it. By saving lives, these medical devices are more than worth their initial investment cost. They were once only available to medical professionals, but today, the public is able to choose from a variety of brands to suit their particular emergency needs.

Also known as automatic external defibrillators (AED), these units have many features which make their use more viable in a public place. AEDs placed in a school or mall are more likely to be used by a lay person rather than a medical professional. This is why many AEDs have on screen visual and or audio instructions. AEDs with on screen written directions are best when the person using the device might be hard of hearing or the surrounding area might be too noisy for the rescuer to hear audio instructions.

If there is an AED placed in an office building, those inside the building should be in instructed in its use. Often just a video showing how to use an AED is shown, but there are training devices which can be attached to the AED to allow trainees to get hands on experience using the AED before an emergency arises. Not every AED has a trainer kit as an optional accessory, but one such brand that does is the Cardiac Science AED.

Aed defibrillator can save lives, and they are most effective when located in places where they will be needed and those around are trained in their use.

Medical negligence is subject to compensation claims

Thursday, February 19, 2009
Commercialization of medicine has allowed for bad things to happen because of it. In order to get to more profit, or in lack of true motives for practicing medicine, gross negligence cases happen, where the medical staff didn't want to react because they didn't feel like it, or weren't where they were supposed to be because they like doing other things more. The same commercialization, in order to sustain itself and justify its purpose, has enabled people who suffered from such treatment to make a compensation claim. Of course, it would be better if medical negligence wouldn't happen, and you can somewhat prevent it from happening by impacting the staff with the presence of your family, to make sure they don't exercise sick "I-am-god" complexes on you or your loved ones. But when it happens, making a compensation claim is what you need to do, to cover for expenses of further treatment. Prosecution may also take things to criminal responsibility and chase the guilty parties out into the open, although medical staff usually covers up their mistakes and does not testify in a colleague's trial. So much for the medical oath.

medical negligence is defined as not being given the minimum treatment. Wrong diagnoses, failure to give a diagnosis, not being treated the minimum amount required for you not to have any consequences, are the most often cases of medical negligence. You shouldn't just require an investigation from the facility you were in, as they will mostly do nothing and sometimes find out something that will prevent similar mistakes in the future, you should require legal responsibility of guilty parties and a compensation to pay for treatment of their mistake. In cases with incapacitating consequences, a monthly compensation can be awarded to the person who can no longer take care of themselves. It is a means which enables those who suffered from medical mistakes to have enough resources to continue with their lives. It is not something any person would wish for, but should medical negligence happen to you or someone you know, even in a milder case, you should make a compensation claim. When people pay for their mistakes, they try harder not to repeat them. Prosecuting those who allow themselves to make mistakes makes those who don't more respected, and everybody more interested in looking up to them.

Skin cancer - Are people really aware of the risks and how it can be prevented?

Thursday, February 12, 2009
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with over 100,000 cases diagnosed annually. Melanoma is the least common but most serious type of skin cancer, with 8,000 new cases and 1,800 deaths each year in the UK. Malignant melanoma is now the most common cancer in young adults aged between 15 and 34 and can be fatal. The incidence rate is increasing more than any other major cancer in the UK and experts estimate that rates will double every 10 to 20 years in countries with white populations. There are also other skin conditions caused by exposure to the sun, including skin texture changes, fine lines and easy bruising. However, other than staying out of the sun altogether, the best prevention against skin cancer - and also the best anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle treatment - is using the right level of sun protection when you are out in the sun.

Ultraviolet light (UVA and UVB) from the sun's rays is the major cause of most skin cancers. According to cancer charity Cancerbackup.org.uk, the incidence of skin cancer is increasing because people spend more time outdoors, are living longer and increasing the amount of lifetime sun exposure, and tans are still considered to be attractive and healthy. Most skin damage from the sun occurs before the age of 20. Fair-skinned people, children and young adults are at increased risk of developing skin cancer. This damage often does not show up until they are well into their 40s, sometimes much later.

As well as increasing the risk of skin cancer, sun damage also leads to premature ageing of the skin, which means that skin becomes coarse, leathery and wrinkled at a younger age. Using adequate sun protection outdoors is a better anti-wrinkle treatment than any expensive anti-ageing cream.

It's not just over-exposure to the sun that increases the risk of skin cancer - sun beds are just as dangerous. Cancer Research UK recently issued a stark warning to sunbed users that over-exposure to UV rays on sunbeds can prove as deadly as staying out too long in the sun. According to Cancer Research UK, eight out of ten sunbed users have increased their risk of a life-threatening form of the disease - repeated use of sunbeds by people under 35 increases the risk of malignant melanoma by 75%
"Sun beds aren't a safe alternative to tanning. Like the sun, sun beds give out harmful UV rays, which damage the DNA in our skin cells and can cause skin cancer. The more you use a sun bed, the greater your risk of skin cancer. So when the tan fades, the damage remains," says Sara Hiom, Cancer Information Expert from Cancer Research UK. The charity is concerned that people are ignoring the risks in their quest for a tan, despite the growing evidence of a link between sunbed use and skin cancer.

To reduce your risk of developing skin cancer and other skin conditions, follow these tips:
• Avoid the sun where possible and seek out shade, especially between 11am and 3pm when it is at its strongest
• Wear sunscreen of at least factor 15, even on cloudy days
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat, protective clothing and sunglasses

Cerebral Palsy - When Childbirth is to Blame

Thursday, February 5, 2009
Cerebral Palsy is a severely disabilitating and distressing condition which results from brain damage that may occur during pregnancy or birth. When the condition is attributed to birth trauma, it is generally due to depriving the baby's brain of oxygen and leads to damage occurring to the brain cells. Babies born prematurely are particularly susceptible to this type of injury.

The supply of oxygen to the baby's brain can be disrupted by many things that may happen during childbirth. If any of these could be avoided by the application of a greater degree of duty of care by the medical staff involved or of the hospital or hospital trust, then there is a potential case of medical negligence.
A hospital labour ward can be a hectic place. Often there are staff shortages, the consultant is off duty, only tired medical staff are available, and there are more mothers in labour than there are facilities available to cope with them. In these conditions it is not difficult to imagine that mistakes might happen.

There are many potential pitfalls. One of these is failing to respond quickly enough to baby heart rate monitors that might suggest that a baby is in difficulties. A drop of the foetal heart rate might suggest that an inadequate supply of blood is reaching the brain, however busy staff fail to either notice or take it seriously enough.

Often mothers are given drugs to initiate contractions and labour. Sometimes this is done for the convenience of the hospital rather than mother. In most cases this does not cause a problem, but it can result in excessively prolonged labour when the drugs do not work as intended. Sometimes the response is to administer more drugs, often with no effect. As a result the baby remains in the birth canal for an extended period and may be deprived of an adequate oxygen supply.
Improper use of birthing tools such as forceps and other aids can damage the baby's head and consequently the brain. Possibly it would have been better to perform a caesarean section but adequate staff or operating theatres were unavailable.

There are many other instances where cerebral palsy might have been avoided had greater care been taken. Every baby has the right to be born with all due care and attention and there are no acceptable excuses for medical negligence.