Over many years, technology has advanced in order to combat new illnesses. Suffering from a cold? Then pop a Tylenol or Advil. The cold was much easier to cure, in contrast to the past, where a simple flu can wipe out a whole community. Cancer used to be a one-way ticket to the light at the end of the tunnel before, but now it can be cured if diagnosed early enough. Humans were able to fight against death because of amazing medical breakthroughs. Here are a few.
You may have heard of Sir Frederick Banting, or Charles Best, or even attended the Banting and Best Elementary School, but do you know why these Canadians are honoured? You probably do, if you know what insulin is. Insulin helps people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas is not creating sufficient insulin hormones to regulate blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes is when people develop resistance against their own insulin. Insulin helps absorb calories and glucose from the bloodstream. Insulin shots help people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar.
The heart is a vital organ that is necessary for survival. The pacemaker is a device that helps monitor the heart and regulate the heart’s beat rhythm. It is literally a life saver for those with weak hearts and/or irregular heart beat patterns. There are temporary and permanent pacemakers. Temporary ones are used to treat temporary and emergency heart problems, while permanent pacemakers are used for long term heart weakness.
Important equipment used for diagnosis is the x-ray. The radiation emitted has small wave-length and high energy radiation. Different types of x-ray tests can be used for different diagnostics. Usually, it is for skeletal problems, due to the denser bones absorbing the radiation to produce an image on film. Barium x-rays, are used for digestion diagnostics. A barium solution is swallowed to stain the digestive system, which is visible on x-rays.
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| Barium X-Ray test at the esophagus. |
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is used in treating asthma. It helps reduce constrictions of muscles that surround the airways during an asthma attack. It opens the airways to promote airflow. It is quick acting, so it is ideal for emergencies. Although it is effective, it should not be the primary source of asthma medication due to its possible side effects (such as cardiac stimulation). Adrenaline can be given by injections or inhalation. The injection method is commonly known as an EpiPen.
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| Needle tip of the EpiPen |
Without a doubt, advanced medical technology has already become an important part of our lives. These new inventions, and much more, allow everyone to have a chance to potentially live longer. With the speed of today's medical technological advancements, more and more cures and solutions are found at a greater rate. Who knows, maybe incurable diseases such as AIDS will have a cure in the future.
Picture Sources:
http://www.midwesthealthstrategies.org/ADAM/doc/graphics/images/en/19566.jpg
https://www.mountainside-medical.com/product_images/uploaded_images/epipen-injection-needle.bmp
http://ehealthmd.com/yms_images/insulin.jpg
Sources:
Norman, James. “Diabetes: What is Insulin?”. Endocrine Web. 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2011.
“Pacemaker”. MedicineNet.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2011.
Gillson, Sharon. “Barium X-rays”. About.com. 4 Feb. 2008. Web. 30 Apr. 2011.
Roberts, Susan. “Why is Adrenaline Used in the Treatment of an Asthma Attack?”. eHow. Web. 30 Apr. 2011.
Comments on other blogs:
Hey Patrick, good job on your blog.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the term 'pace maker' was familiar to me, I didn't know it's actual purpose. I'm amazed that scientists can actually monitor or even regulate a heart's rhythm remotely.
Your various examples of medical breakthroughs and the diagrams or pictures that accompanied them were very informative. I agree with the fact that these inventions allow people to live longer, after all, with all these cures and adaptations there is very few things medical technology can't do.