Ap
Apical
ax
axillary
BP, B/P
Blood Pressure
C
Celsius or Centigrade
F
Fahrenheit
mmHg
Millimeters mercury
O2
Oxygen
P
Pulse
R
Respiration or rectal
T
Temperature
TPR
Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration
VS, V/S
Vital signs
Angina Pectoris
Disease marked by brief sudden attacks of chest pain or discomfort caused by deficient oxygenation of the heart muscles usually due to impaired blood flow to the heart
Anus
Posterior opening of the digestive tract
Apical
Heartbeat heard with a stethoscope placed on the chest wall just below the left nipple.
Apnea
Cessation of respiration
Arteries/Artery
Blood vessels that carry blood from the heart through the body
Asthma
Chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction (as from bronchospasm) manifested by labored breathing accompanied especially by wheezing and coughing and by a sense of constriction in the chest, and that is triggered by h
Axillary
Cavity beneath the junction of the arm or anterior appendage and shoulder or shoulder girdle
Blood pressure
Pressure exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels and especially arteries
Brachial artery
Chief artery of the upper arm that is a direct continuation of the axillary artery and divides into the radial and ulnar arteries just below the elbow
Bradycardia
Slow heart rate
Bradypnea
Slow breathing rate.
Bronchitis
Acute or chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes
Centigrade
Thermometer scale on which the interval between the freezing and boiling points of water is divided into 100 degrees with 0� representing the freezing point and 100� the boiling point
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Pulmonary disease characterized by chronic typically irreversible airway obstruction resulting in a slowed rate of exhalation due to air trapping
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Condition in which the heart is unable to adequately pump and circulate blood
Coronary artery disease
Condition, especially caused by atherosclerosis, that reduces the blood flow through the coronary arteries to the heart muscle and typically results in chest pain or heart damage
Cyanosis
Bluish or purplish discoloration (as of skin or mucus membranes) due to deficient oxygenation of the blood
Diaphragm
Part of the stethoscope placed against the skin
Diastolic Pressure
Lowest arterial blood pressure of a cardiac cycle occurring during diastole (relaxation) of the heart
Digital thermometer
Electronic instrument for measuring temperature
Dyspnea
Difficult or labored respiration
Ear canal
External part of the ear leading to the inner ear forming the auditory canal
Emphysema
Chronic lung condition where the alveoli become enlarged and less elastic. Often caused by exposure to toxic chemicals or long term exposure to tobacco smoke
Expiration
Act or process of releasing air from the lungs through the nose or mouth
Fahrenheit
Temperature measurement where 32 degrees is freezing and 212 degrees is boiling point of water at sea level
Hypertension
Abnormally high blood pressure
Hypotension
Abnormally low blood pressure
Inspiration
Drawing air into the lungs
Irregular
Lacking continuity or regularity of occurrence, activity, or function
Myocardial infarction (Heart Attack)
An acute episode marked by the death or damage of heart muscle due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle usually as a result of a coronary artery becoming blocked by a blood clot formed in response to a ruptured or torn fatty arterial deposit
Oral
Pertaining to the mouth
Peripheral vascular disease
Inadequate circulation to the extremities
Pneumonia
Infection or inflammation of the lungs.
Pulse
Rhythmic beating caused by waves of pressure by the ejection of blood from the left ventricle of the heart as it contracts.
Pulse obliteration
When taking a blood pressure you find the radial pulse. Then inflate the cuff until you no longer feel the pulse. Note this point. Inflate the cuff 30 mm Hg beyond the point where you last felt the pulse.
Pulse rate
Rate of the arterial pulse usually observed at the wrist (radial artery) and stated in beats per minute
Radial artery
Artery in the forearm, wrist and hand generally used to obtain the pulse rate
Respirations
A single complete act of breathing (in & out)
Sphygmomanometer
Device used to measure blood pressure - the cuff, bulb, and manometer
Stethoscope
Instrument consisting of two earpieces and flexible tubing to a diaphragm used to hear body sounds
Systolic
Pressure the blood exerts against the arterial walls when the heart muscle contract; first blood pressure measurement recorded
Tachycardia
Fast heart beat
Tachypnea
Rapid breathing
Temperature
A measure of heat and cold
Temporal temperature
Temperature taken over the temporal area of the head.
Thermometer
Instrument used to measure temperature
Tympanic
Thin membrane in the middle ear that transmits sound vibrations
Unconscious
Unaware of surrounding environment and incapable of responding to stimuli
Vital signs
Blood pressure, Temperature, Pulse, and Respirations