Chapter 15 vocab

afebrile

Body temperature within the normal range

Aneroid sphygmomanometer

A device with a circular dial for blood pressure readings that is attached to a cuff by a rubber tube

Apnea

Periods of no breathing

arrhythmia

An abnormal heart rhythm 

Balance beam scale

A system of weights that are moved along a beam at the top of a weight scale

Blood Pressure

A measurement of the pressure of the blood against the arterial walls in the contraction and relaxation of the heart beat

bradycardia

A heart rate that is less than 60  beats per minute

bradypnea

A decreased respiratory rate 

Core temperature

A relatively constant internal temperature that can range from 97 to 99 Fahrenheit or 36.1 to 37.2 celsius in adults 

Dial Scale

A weight measurement device with a large, numbered dial that indicates a person's correct weights

Diastolic

The lower pressure level in the arteries as the heart pauses briefly to rest and refill 

Digital Scale

A weight measurement system device that displays a patient's weight on a digital screen and allows the weight to be measured in decimals

Disposabale thermometer

A one use measuring device that registers body temperature quickly with color changes on a strip

Doppler ultrasound stethoscope

A medical instrument that has an earpiece connected to an audio unit with an ultrasound transducer and is used to amplify the sound of a pulse that is difficult to palpate or a blood pressure that is difficult to measure

Dyspnea

Difficult or labored breathing

Electronic sphygmomanometer

A device that automatically measures a patient's blood pressure at regular intervals and keeps track of each reading on a computer monitor

Electronic thermometer

A portable battery operated device with interchangeable probes that measures body temperature

Eupnea

Normal respiration 

Ferbrile

Running fever  or having a temperature over 99 degrees fahrenheit

Hypertension

Blood pressure that remains consistently above normal

Orthopnea

A condition in which patients can often breath easier

Orthostatic hypotension

Low blood pressure along with weakness and fainting

Pulse

The expansion and relaxation of the arteries

Pulse points

Various parts of the body where pulse can be heard of felt

Respiration

The process in which oxygen is obtained from the environment

Systolic

The highest pressure level in the arteries

tachycardia

A heart rate greater than 100

tachypnea

A fast respiratory rate

Temporal artery thermometer

A device that measures actual blood temperature by touching the front of forehead

Tympanic thermometer

A device to measure body temperature that is battery powered

Vital signs

Measurements of the body's temperature and pulse