Why Life Support Systems Are Necessary

10 January 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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One of the hardest things in life is watching loved ones become so ill they cannot function on their own. Their body begins to shut down and needs the help of a machine to survive and heal. This is why hospitals have life support systems installed in their facilities. They let the body go to sleep while the machine helps the systems continue to function while the neurological portion of the body recovers. The benefit of the life support system in hospitals is the fact it can be used in a variety of ways.

Respiratory

Without your lungs being fully operational, you cannot get oxygen into your blood. Your lungs give air to the heart, which means assistance must be given when the breathing is compromised. One of the first methods is to use a cannula into the nose. However, this is not always enough, and a breathing tube with a ventilator is necessary. With a ventilator, the physicians and nurses can monitor the amount of air the patient is receiving, as well as give any medications necessary. The main reason the system is used is to take a load off of the body and give it to the machines to handle.

Cardio

Your heart is another organ you cannot live without, and one that can be kept alive with life support. Anything can put a heart at risk of a heart attack or high blood pressure. Medications have been successful at regulating heart rates, but once the body suffers enough damage, more is needed. A physician can install pacemakers to help keep hearts beating regularly, but they do not help when your body is starting to shut down. These are the cases when the life support system in hospitals steps in and keeps the body running so the heart can heal.

Other Systems

There are other systems that can be assisted using variety of life support technologies. This includes the use of dialysis while the body is recovering. Physicians can also make sure the body is getting the proper nutrients using a liquid diet fed through a feeding tube. Life support systems offer the patient time to heal, but also give families the peace knowing that they have done everything possible. This is especially true when medically induced comas are the only way a person can recover from injuries or illnesses that have caused their main organs to no longer function properly.

For more information, contact a business such as Aquatic Environments Inc.