Preppers Pharmacopoeia Part Deux

The Prepper Pharmocopeia Part 2
Last week we left off about half way though part one of the Preppers Pharmacopoe1a and weened the show about half way though the pain medication. We talked about an part of herbal medicine that is extremely important. There are not always herbal analogs for modern meds. There are herbs with many, many different actions in a single plant, as opposed to modern pharma which focus on single-action meds and individual “active ingredients. The plant world is loaded with multi-function plant remedies. That’s why there is more nuance and art involved with learning it. Like, for a cough, some may be helped by marshmallow root, while others will be better served by sage and horehound. Your herbalist needs to know what is in their pharmacy, how to mix proper herbs and administer in the correct amounts at the correct times. And what should work for specifics aliments It is much more than as a lot say, “Here chew this root”

There are many herbs that can be swapped out for meds, like berberine for metformin. But, berberine also offers at least a dozen other benefits with it, like lowering liver inflammation and improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with being antibiotic. Metformin does one thing only.

This week we will continue and cover more of what can be taken for pain, what NOT to take. Also talk about the other drugs both modern and herbal we both stock.

This weeks tip is on blood pressure. So what do the numbers mean?
The systolic blood pressure number is always said first, and then the diastolic blood pressure number is given. For example, your blood pressure may be read as “120 over 80” or written as 120/80. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Ok Now how to take a pressure

Equipment

You need only 3 items to perform a manual blood pressure measurement:
— A blood pressure cuff.
— A blood pressure gauge with hand-held inflation bulb.
— A stethoscope.

 

 

 

 

It’s important to have the correct size cuff. If it’s too large or small, the blood pressure reading might be inaccurate. The cuff should have a 2:1 length-to-width ratio — meaning the width is approximately 40 percent of the upper arm circumference and the length is at least 80 percent.

To Small                                          To Big                                      Just right

Taking the Reading

To take the blood pressure reading:
— Place the stethoscope ear pieces in your ears, oriented so they are pointing forward. You should be able to hear rhythmic pulsations.
— Twist the pressure valve closed and inflate the cuff by repeatedly squeezing the bulb.
— Inflate the cuff until you no longer hear the pulsations, then inflate approximately 30 mmHg more.
— While looking at the gauge, slowly open the valve and listen for the return of the rhythmic pulsations. Note at what number the first sound is heard. This is the systolic blood pressure, the top number of the reading.
— Continue allowing the cuff to deflate until the pulsations stop completely. Note the pressure at which the sounds disappear. This is the diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number of the reading.
— Once the pulsations have not been heard for at least 10 mmHg, stop the reading

Now what if you need to get a BP but have no tools to do it?

Step 1

Feel for a pulse at one of the carotid arteries. These arteries run through the neck, on either side of the voice box, or larynx, notes Dr. Gary Thibodeau in his book, “Anatomy and Physiology.” Without pressing hard enough to slow the flow of blood–which can lead to dizziness–feel for a pulse. The rate of the pulse is unimportant.

According to a 1985 article by Dr. P.E. Collicott entitled “Advanced Trauma Life Support for Physicians,” a palpable carotid pulse means the individual in question has a systolic, or pumping, pressure of 60-70 mmHg.

Step 2

Feel for a pulse at one of the femoral arteries. These arteries are the major vessels that deliver blood to the tissues of the leg, and they run from the abdomen through each thigh. The femoral pulse is easiest to palpate in the crease between the thigh and the abdomen, a few inches to either side of the midline. Since the femoral artery is further from the heart than the carotid artery, blood pressure is lower in the femoral artery. As such, notes Dr. Collicott, palpable femoral arteries mean the patient has at least a

systolic pressure of 70-80 mmHg.

Step 3

Feel for a pulse at one of the radial arteries. These run along the underside of the arm near the two bones of the forearm. It’s easiest to find the radial pulse by placing the fingers on the underside of the forearm before the arm meets the wrist, closer to the thumb side of the arm. According to Dr. Collicott, palpable radial pulses indicate that the patient has a systolic pressure of more than 80 mmHg. Because the radial artery is smaller than the femoral artery and is higher on the body, blood pressure must be higher than 80 mmHg for a pulse to reach the radial artery. This will give you a good starting figure to start treating a patient for shock or blood loss trauma etc.

IMPORTANT

The British Journal of Medicine has stated the blood pressure by estimation has been shown the person doing the checks have overestimated the pressures.

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