 A good first aid kit provides you with all the supplies you'll need for minor medical emergencies in one easy-to-reach container. But in addition to the basics, people who have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, or a history of severe allergic reactions should include the following items in their first aid kit. For people with diabetes, it's a good idea to have some glucose tablets (brand name Dex 4) or glucose gel (>Glutose) in your first aid it. Glucose tablets or gel can be used to raise abnormally low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include dizziness, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat. If not treated, low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness and can be life threatening. >Glucagon is an injection for treating severely low blood sugar. It's for people who haven't responded to glucose or who are unconscious. Albuterol inhaler (>Ventolin and >Proventil) is a fast-acting drug for treating asthma attacks. Asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Albuterol opens the airways so that a person can breathe more freely. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets (>Nitrostat) treat angina, the chest pain experienced by some people with heart disease. Nitroglycerin helps to relieve the pain of an angina attack by expanding coronary arteries and allowing more blood to reach the heart muscles. >Bee sting kits or epinephrine kits are for treating severe allergic reactions to insect bites, bee stings, and certain foods. These reactions include rashes, itching, swelling of the tongue, shortness of breath, and a sharp fall in blood pressure. Untreated, these reactions can cause a person to lose consciousness and die. Nitroglycerin tablets for angina sufferers and bee sting kits for people allergic to bee stings—should be carried at all times, preferably in a backpack, briefcase, or purse. Except for glucose tablets or gels, all of these items require a prescription from your doctor. Some can be self-administered, but things may happen so fast that a person is not able to do that in time. That's why family members and close friends should know how to use the remedies. These conditions can be life threatening unless treated immediately, so it's important to have necessary items on hand and to know how to use them. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to learn how to use them correctly. Sources:
The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition. Merck & Co., 1997.
Micromedex Healthcare Series. Micromedex, Inc., 2000.
This answer prepared 9/8/00.
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