2013's Top Quick Reference Medical iPhone Apps

This article published with permission from iMedicalApps.com.

Over the past month, I’ve been doing an exhaustive review of all of the iOS medical apps released in 2013, and I’ve gathered a list of the best medical apps released in the calendar year.

In this post I’ll just focus on the 10 best quick reference medical apps I’ve found. In subsequent posts I’ll focus on other key categories.

10. Basics of Mechanical Ventilation

This app covers the basics of mechanical ventilation, and is a great utility for those who are rotating on ICU rotations or medical students starting in the ICU.

Price: Free

Links: iTunes

9. Medical Abbreviations

I’ve been wondering when a large society or organization would finally produce a comprehensive medical abbreviations app. Patient.co.uk, a website I consider close to WebMD (the U.K. version), finally did such a thing.

Not only is this free app great for patients, but it’s a must have for medical students, residents, or anyone in the medical field trying to get a better grasp of medical terminology. I remember reading Ob/GYN notes as a medical student and thinking how I had stumbled upon a foreign language — I wish I had this app back then.

Price: Free

Links: iTunes

8. Managing Rivaroxaban

Rivaroxaban, also known as Xarelto, is being used more often for anti-coagulation, and it’s important physicians have a better understanding of the drug. The app helps you understand how to dose the drug, but even more importantly, offers suggestions on reversing its anti-coagulation effects in settings of an acute bleed.

Notice the key word, suggestions — as there is no specific reversal agent.

Price: Free

Links: iTunes

7. GP Antibiotics

This is a U.K.-centric app that uses the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde antimicrobial guidelines. Before using any app for antibiotic care, it’s critical you have an understanding of your local antibiotic sensitivities — so this app should be used with caution, and only as a basic guide.

Price: Free

Links: iTunes

6. eBlood Gas

We have reviewed blood gas calculators before, but what I like about this app is it not only tells you basic information that anyone with rudimentary knowledge of blood gasses can tell you — such as respiratory/metabolic acidosis — but it also gives alveolar-arterial gradient values. This is useful in helping to diagnose the source of hypoxemia.

Price: $1.99

Links: iTunes

See the top five.