Cardio & Respiratory

If you need both an oxygen concentrator and a continuous positive pressure (CPAP) machine, you may be wondering: what's the difference? Although these therapies seem similar and sometimes treat the same disease, they are different in many ways. In this short blog post, we will discuss the main differences between an oxygen concentrator and a CPAP machine. We will also discuss some scenarios in which these therapeutic devices may overlap. What is an oxygen concentrator? Yuwell Oxygen Concentrator - Compact Model with Nebulizer Port An oxygen concentrator is a self-contained or portable device that draws in ambient air, filters nitrogen and rejects the remaining oxygen as a concentrated gas. The main function of an oxygen concentrator is to provide more oxygen than is available in the ambient air. The air we breathe is composed of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen, with some mixed trace gases. In some pathological conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...

Choosing & Using a Home Blood Pressure Monitor, & What to Ask the Doctor Many of the problems of older adults (including falls) can be related to blood pressure. Home blood pressure measurements can help: evaluate for drops in blood pressure with standing (a common cause of dizziness in elders) check for serious illness, since these often (but not always) cause the blood pressure and pulse to be very different from usual follow-up on blood pressure after a change in medication, which can help doctors and families figure out the best medication dosing for an older person much faster. This is safer for seniors. In this post, I’ll share some tips on choosing and using a home BP monitor. And don’t worry: I won’t tell you that you have to plan on checking every day for the rest of your lives. Although there are times when it’s great to check daily — like the week after a change in medication — the most important thing is to have a good BP monitor at home and know how to u...