NEWS GIST

Doctor speaks of monitoring

blood levels

by cell phone

 

 

---I saw something very interesting on channel five news the other morning. It is the show that has Charlie Rose. You may have seen it. A doctor was on that I had seen many times, but NEVER caught his name. The gist of what he was saying was that your blood levels and thus how much medicine is present in your system, could be monitored. AND...your cell phone does the monitoring.

---He went on to say how this would revolutionize the industry. One could keep a much closer watch on the levels of each medication and where he is in terms of the therapeutic level in each case. He could then take the correct dose in every case...thus eliminating taking what is NOT necessary and virtually never be over-medicated again.

---This kind of info has the potential of so many positives for the consumer. They spoke of diabetes, controlllng blood pressure, psychotropic meds (mental health meds,) and many more.

---Having been in the mental health field...I am aware that many people were given lithium carbonate for manic depression. The drug seemed to keep the symptoms of manic depression at bay for years. The downside of the situation is that the kidney is usually negatively impacted for the whole time the patient is on the lithium. The kidney can be weakened until it needs serious attention. With the idea that the lithium could be doled out in the correct amounts instead of (as human nature tends to be) erring on the side of keeping the symptoms low...the kidney may be preserved and not receive the amounts that cause the damage. A much more regulated amount is administered.

 ---This is all new technology and has bugs to be worked out. But, it does seems that some things are being addressed that were in the distant future...perplexing and inaccessible at one time. Be Well.