What do YOU want (MedicAlert)

[mahabreta]

I'm 40 and am on a ton of meds because of a non Q-wave MI 7 years ago.

If you're responding to a 911 call and I'm unconscious, is it best to have my list of meds in my wallet or do I need a LifeAlert/MedicAlert bracelet? (The main one I'm concerned about for emergency responders is the Plavix)

(meds are Plavix, Seroquel, Lisinopril, Nexium, Tricor, Lipitor, Zetia, Lexapro, Cardizem, Wellbutrin and Vistaril)

[Timmy]

Generally MedicAlerts just have the condition the patient suffers from ie diabetes or seizures.

It may be handy to have your list of meds and what there for just to make life easier for the treating medical staff.

It would all depend on what your ECG shows as to what medication an EMS crew would give to and unresponsive patient.

Plavix could be a contraindication for GTN and aspirin. Generally speaking you’re pretty safe on an EMS level unless someone wanted to give you thrombolytics but if your unresponsive I’m not quiet sure if they’d administer anything. It’s probably more important for rapid transport to a cath lab.

[BushyFromOz]

I'm 40 and am on a ton of meds because of a non Q-wave MI 7 years ago.

If you're responding to a 911 call and I'm unconscious, is it best to have my list of meds in my wallet or do I need a LifeAlert/MedicAlert bracelet? (The main one I'm concerned about for emergency responders is the Plavix)

(meds are Plavix, Seroquel, Lisinopril, Nexium, Tricor, Lipitor, Zetia, Lexapro, Cardizem, Wellbutrin and Vistaril)

You should be able to buy a medi-alert necklace that has a little stainless steel vial with a screw on lid. That should give you enough room to write your meds and your AMI on it, roll it up and slip it in the vial. Also means that you can update it when it your meds change.

[AnthonyM83]

Other option might be to have the bracelet state that the meds are in your wallet...of course you risk the chance you might not have your wallet on you when an emergency happens.

We go through wallets to get a name/age, but rarely go through the entire wallet to find medlists.

[itku2er]

Medic alert bracelets would be good. Here are a few other suggestions tape a list of your meds to your dashboard of your car incase you are in an auto accident. Tape them to a wall in your house that is easy noticable and would be one of the first things EMS would see when they go into your house. Carry a list in your purse on a index card laminated so that if you pass out in the mall or some place like that and EMS looks they can easily find it.

Just a few suggestions. Cardizem and plavix should be on the top of the list that way they will not be missed and if your MD adds any more heart related meds then make a new list and add them to the top.

terr

[air.stump]

Keeping a list in your wallet is good as is keeping a list with your vehicle registration. LEO will get that stuff from your vehicle and give it to the medic. Medical alert bracelets are also a good idea. Call the fire station in your area and ask them if they have any suggestions.

We will give, upon request, a medicine vial and a form we created to anyone that asks for it. What they do with this is fill out the form with medicines and medical conditions and place it in the vial. The vial is then placed in the freezer. Everyone in our system knows where to check for this vial on an unresponsive patient.

[Eydawn]

Do they have the "Vial of Life" program in your area? You put a sticker on your door that says "Vial of Life- medical info in freezer" and you put a very obvious jar with a big star of life on it that holds all of your info... it's easy, because it's in a contained location and the jar can hold quite a bit of paper.

Might look into that! Thanks for looking out for us poor EMS folk who might not be able to get your history and care for you properly. Here's hoping that doesn't happen!

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[n0ssb]

Well being some what of sound mind and body- though that could be questionalbe at times, need a Medic Alert tag for allergy to Penicillin, but I do have a Medic Alert tag on Colorado ID, with a 800 number on it, so medical personnel can call get medical information on this somewhat sound mind and body as well on my refrig door, like a vial of life, which I have used before and support the idea of. Vial of Life was used in a city that I worked inand everyone in the city had a vial available in the kitchen refrig, for medical information on each member of the family or household..

8) SUPPORT EMS------GET SICK:[/font:bcdb1386f5]

[Chief1C]

If you're unconscious.. We need to know:

full name

address

age

DOB

SSN

Emergency Contact Names/Number/Relation

Medications

Allergies

History of Surgeries, conditions, major illnesses; eg. cardiac, respiratory, CVA, Cancer

Living Will/DNR should be kept with this info too; if we don't know about it, we can't follow your wishes.

We distribute the Vial of Life to all of our "subscribers". Not all of the lines showed up in "Print Preview".

Print This

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p79/cmk1883/Vial1.jpg

Then print this on the back of it.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p79/cmk1883/vial2.jpg

[Richard B the EMT]

You might all want to contact the Medic Alert foundation, out of Turlock, California. They pioneered the Medic Alert devices, which indicate a member ID number, and the international toll free number to call for information on record for that number.

I wear one, which has listing of my meds, cardiac condition, sleep apnea, home address and phone, even the name and contact number for my Primary Care Physician.

The newest device is a memory stick. I don't approve of this idea just yet, as not all ambulances have the USB socket for it to be plugged in to, or even have a computer in the first place.

http://www.medicalert.com/home/Homegradient.aspx