VITAL SIGNS

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VITAL SIGNS
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• Vital signs show an individual is alive. They
  include heart beat, breathing rate, temperature,
  and blood pressure.
• These signs may be watched, measured, and
  monitored to check an individual's level of
  physical functioning.
• Normal vital signs change with age, sex, weight,
  exercise tolerance, and condition.

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Medical Abbreviation

• Vital Signs VS
• VITAL SIGNS ARE VITAL!!!!

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TEMPERATURE

• The balance between heat lost and heat produced
  by the body

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Continued.

• Heat is lost through perspiration, respiration,
  and excretion (urine and feces).
• Heat is produced by the metabolism of food, and
  muscle and gland activity.

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Homeostasis

• HOMEOSTASIS- the ideal health state in the human
  body.
• The rates of chemical reactions in the body are
  regulated by body temperature.

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NORMAL RANGES

• 97 to 100 Fahrenheit
• 36.1 to 37.8 Celsius
• (sometimes called centigrade)

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FACTORS That Increase Body Temperature

• Illness
• Infection
• Exercise
• Excitement
• High temperatures in the environment

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FACTORS that decrease body temperature

• Starvation
• Fasting
• Sleep
• Decreased muscle activity
• Mouth breathing
• Exposure to cold temperatures in the environment

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Temperature Variations by Body Site

• Oral 98.6F (37C)
• Range 97.6 - 99.6F
• 36.5-37.5C
• Rectal 99.6F (37.6C)
• Range 98.6-100.6F
• 37-38.1C
• Axillary 97.6 F (36.4C)
• Range 96.6-98.6F
• 36-37C

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Hypothermia

• A low body temperature below
• 95F (35C)

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Hyperthermia

• Occurs when the body temperature exceeds 104F
  (40C)

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FEVER!

• And elevated body temperature usually above 101F
  (38.3C)

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PULSE

• Pulse the pressure of the blood pushing against
  the wall of an artery as the heart beats and
  rests
• The pulse is more easily felt in arteries that
  lie fairly close to the skin and can be pressed
  against a bone by the fingers.

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Pulse Sites

• Temporal At the side of the forehead
• Carotid At the neck
• Brachial Crease of the elbow
• Radial Above the thumb
• Femoral the upper thigh
• Popliteal Behind the knee
• Dorsalis Pedis Top of the foot arch

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Terms to know..

• Bradycardia A pulse rate under 60 beats per
  minute.
• Tachycardia A pulse rate over 100 beats per
  minute (except in children).
• Arrhythmia An irregular or abnormal rhythm,
  usually caused by a defect in the electrical
  conduction pattern of the heart.

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Measuring and Recording Respiration

• Respiration the process of taking in oxygen and
  expelling carbon dioxide from the lungs and
  respiratory tract.

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• Respirations can be counted by placing your hand
  on the upper chest to feel it rise and fall.
• If you can hear the person breathing, count how
  many times he breathes in a minute.
• Listen to hear if the person is breathing deep
  (slow) or shallow (fast).
• Also write down anything you notice about the
  person's breathing, such as being regular or not
  regular and if there are sounds

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Rates of Respiration

• Adults 14 to 18 breaths per minute
• Children 16 to 25 breaths per minute
• Infants 30 to 50 breaths per minute

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Character and Rhythm

• Character refers to the depth and quality of
  respirations. Words used to describe character
  include deep, shallow, labored, etc.
• Rhythm refers to the regularity of respirations,
  or equal spacing between breaths. It is
  described as regular or irregular.

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More terms to know.

• Dyspnea Difficult or labored breathing
• Apnea Absence of respirations
• Tachypnea Respiratory rate above 25 resp. per
  minute.
• Bradypnea Slow respiratory rate below 10 resp.
  per minute.
• Orthopnea Breathing is difficult in positions
  other than sitting or standing

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.

• Cheyne-Stokes Respirations Periods of dyspnea
  followed by periods of apnea frequently noted in
  the dying patient.
• Rales Bubbling or noisy sounds caused by fluids
  or mucus in the air passages.

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BLOOD PRESSURE

• Blood pressure is a measurement of the force
  applied to the walls of the arteries as the heart
  pumps blood through the body.

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• The pressure is determined by the force and
  amount of blood pumped, and the size and
  flexibility of the arteries.

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Equipment

• Auscultatory method aneroid sphygmomanometer with
  stethoscope

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Mercury manometer
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How the Test is Performed

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• Blood pressure is usually measured while you are
  seated with your arm resting on a table.
• Your arm should be slightly bent so that it is at
  the same level as your heart.
• The upper arm should be bare, with your sleeve
  comfortably rolled up.

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• The top number is the systolic blood pressure
  reading. It represents the maximum pressure
  exerted when the heart contracts.
• The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure
  reading. It represents the pressure in the
  arteries when the heart is at rest.

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• wrap the blood pressure cuff snugly around your
  upper arm, positioning it so that the lower edge
  of the cuff is 1 inch above the bend of the
  elbow.
• locate the large artery on the inside of the
  elbow by feeling for the pulse and will place the
  head of the stethoscope over this artery, below
  the cuff.

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• close the valve on the rubber inflating bulb and
  then will squeeze it rapidly to inflate the cuff
  until the dial or column of mercury reads 30 mmHg
  higher than the usual systolic pressure.

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• Next, the valve is opened slightly, allowing the
  pressure to fall gradually (2 to 3 mmHg per
  second). As the pressure falls, the level on the
  dial or mercury tube at which the pulsing is
  first heard is recorded. This is the systolic
  pressure

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• As the air continues to be let out, the sounds
  will disappear. The point at which the sound
  disappears is recorded. This is the diastolic
  pressure (the lowest amount of pressure in the
  arteries as the heart rests).

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Blood Pressure Readings

• NORMAL ADULT
• 120/80 mm HG

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• Blood pressure readings are measured in
  millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and usually given
  as 2 numbers. For example, 110 over 70 (written
  as 110/70).

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Words to know

• Hypotension-low blood pressure when values are
  less than 100 mm HG systolic and 70 mm HG
  diastolic
• Hypertension-high blood pressure when values are
  greater than 140 mm HG systolic and 90 mm HG
  diastolic

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Blood pressure readings may be affected by many
different conditions, including

• Cardiovascular disorders
• Neurological conditions
• Kidney and urological disorders
• Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
• Psychological factors such as stress, anger, or
  fear
• Various medications
• "White coat hypertension" may occur if the
  medical visit itself produces extreme anxiety

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Medical Abbreviations

• TPR BP
• T-temperature
• P-pulse
• R-respiration
• BP-blood pressure

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