Chapter 37 Vitals

Difficult or painful breathing

dyspnea

Exceptionally high fever

hyperpyrexia

Slow heart rate fewer than 60 bpm

bradycardia

Fast heart rate more than 100 bpm

tachycardia

Body temperature within the normal range

afebrile

Crackling sounds indicating fluid in the lungs

rales

Measure of blood pressure when the heart relaxes (lowest number recorded)

diastolic pressure

Measure of blood pressure taken when the left ventricle contracts (high number recorded)

systolic pressure

deep, rapid, or labored breathing

hyperpnea

pulse at the lower left corner of the heart

apical

high blood pressure

hypertension

low blood pressure

hypotension

to make sure an instrument is measuring correctly

calibrate

the bend of the elbow

antecubital space

the lower left corner of the heart, where the strongest heart sounds can be heard

apex

having a body temperature above the normal range

febrile

breathing pattern that includes shallow, deep breaths and apnea

Cheyne-Stokes respirations

device to measure the temperature on the forehead

temporal scanner

measures the temperature in the ear canal

tympanic

BMI calculations are based on

height and weight

a internal factor that affects the blood pressure

blood viscosity

the 5 vital signs

temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and pain

tachypnea

rapid breathing

normal adult range for temperature

97.8-99.1

normal adult range for pulse

60-100

normal adult rate for respiration

12-18

normal adult rate for blood pressure

less than 120, less than 80

temporal artery pulse point

side of the head

ceratoid artery pulse point

neck

brachial artery pulse point

middle of arm

radial artery pulse point

thigh

popliteal artery pulse point

under the knee

posterior tibial artery pulse point

ankle

dorsalis pedis artery pulse point

foot

parts of the sphygmomanometer

inflatable cuff, pressure bulb, manometer

a blood pressure cuff that is too large will give what kind of reading

low

a blood pressure cuff that is too small will give what kind of reading

high

to assess for orthostatic/postural hypotension how should blood pressure be taken

patient lying down, sitting, and standing

hypertension

high blood pressure

pre-hypertension

slightly above normal, but not high blood pressure

5 locations to take a temperature

oral, tympanic, rectal, axillary, temporal

parts of a stethoscope

ear pieces, binaurals, rubber or plastic tubing, bell, chest piece, diaphragm

0-

no palpable pulse

1+

weak pulse

2+

faint pulse

3+

normal pulse

4+

bounding pulse

what is a pulse oximeter used for

to measure the oxygen level of the blood and pulse and oxygen saturation of the blood

peak inflation

adding 30mm to the number where the radial pulse dissapears

korotkoff sounds

vascular sounds heard during the measurement of blood pressure

respiration should be noted as

rate, rhythm, effort

rate

number of respirations per minute

rhythm

breathing pattern

effort

amount of air being inhaled and exhaled

phase 1 of blood pressure sounds

the first tapping sound you hear represent systolic pressure

phase 2 of blood pressure sounds

strong heartbeat changes to a softer, swishing sound

phase 3 of blood pressure sounds

the resumption of a crisp, tapping sound

phase 4 of blood pressure sounds

sounds become muffled

phase 5 of blood pressure sounds

point at which the sound disappears; represents diastolic pressure

benign hypertension

harmless elevation of blood pressure (poses no risk to other organs)

secondary hypertension

high blood pressure that is caused by another medical condition (obesity, increased sodium intake, family history)

aneroid sphygmomanometers

circular gauge that registers pressure. (what we use in class)

electronic sphygmomanometers

provide a digital readout of blood pressure, do not require use of stethoscope.

blood volume

the amount of blood in the arteries

vessel elasticity

ability of an artery to expand and contract to supply the body with a steady flow of blood

blood viscosity

thickness of the blood

malignant hypertension

high blood pressure with other conditions such as renal or heart failure

primary/essential hypertension

the most common HTN and has no known cause

what is blood pressure

BP is a reflection of the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries

rectal temperatures

usually 1 degree higher than oral temperatures and are considered the most accurate measurement of body temperature

rectal temperatures should be placed

1 inch for adults, 1/2 inch for infants and small children

how long should you wait to take a oral temp if the patient has been eating, drinking, smoking

15 minutes

the usual ratio of the pulse rate to the respiration rate

4:1