Chapter 16: Measuring and Recording Vital Signs Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering vital signs, body temperature variations, pulse sites, respiration characteristics, blood pressure classifications, and related clinical instruments.

Vital Signs

Various determinations that provide information about the basic body conditions of the patient, including temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and pain.

Homeostasis

A constant state of fluid balance, which is the ideal health state in the human body.

Temperature

A measurement of the balance between heat lost and heat produced by the body.

Pulse

The pressure of the blood felt against the wall of an artery as the heart contracts and relaxes, or beats.

Respirations

The process of taking in oxygen ($O_2$) and expelling carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) from the lungs and respiratory tract.

Blood Pressure

The force exerted by the blood against the arterial walls when the heart contracts or relaxes.

Pain

An unpleasant sensation perceived in the nervous system when illness or injury occurs, which can be acute or chronic.

Oral Temperature

Body temperature taken in the mouth, with an average normal reading of $98.6^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($37^\text{o}\text{C}$).

Rectal Temperature

An internal body temperature measurement taken in the rectum, with an average normal reading of $99.6^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($37.6^\text{o}\text{C}$).

Axillary Temperature

An external body temperature measurement taken in the armpit under the upper arm, with an average normal reading of $97.6^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($36.4^\text{o}\text{C}$).

Hypothermia

A low body temperature below $95^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($35^\text{o}\text{C}$) measured rectally, often caused by prolonged exposure to cold.

Fever

An elevated body temperature, usually above $101^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($38.3^\text{o}\text{C}$) measured rectally; also known as pyrexia.

Pyrexia

Another medical term for fever.

Febrile

Medical term meaning that a fever is present.

Afebrile

Medical term meaning no fever is present, or the temperature is within the normal range.

Hyperthermia

A condition occurring when body temperature exceeds $104^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($40^\text{o}\text{C}$) measured rectally.

Tympanic Thermometer

A specialized electronic thermometer that measures the thermal, infrared energy radiating from blood vessels in the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to record an aural temperature.

Temporal Scanning Thermometer

A specialized electronic thermometer passed across the forehead to measure temperature in the temporal artery.

Noncontact Infrared Thermometer (NCIT)

A thermometer that uses light wavelength technology to measure thermal energy radiating from the skin without physical contact.

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 pulse rhythm, usually caused by a defect in the electrical conduction pattern of the heart.

Pulse Volume

The strength, force, quality, or intensity of the pulse, described by terms such as bounding, strong, weak, or thready.

Pulse Oximeter

A clip-like device placed on a finger, toe, or ear lobe that uses light to determine the percentage of oxygen in the blood and measure pulse rate.

Hypoxia

A deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues, indicated by blood oxygen saturation levels below $90$ percent.

Dyspnea

Difficult or labored breathing.

Apnea

Absence of respirations, usually a temporary period of no breathing.

Tachypnea

Rapid, shallow respiratory rate above $25$ respirations per minute.

Bradypnea

Slow respiratory rate, usually below $10$ respirations per minute.

Orthopnea

Severe dyspnea in which breathing is very difficult in any position other than sitting erect or standing.

Cheyne-Stokes

An abnormal breathing pattern characterized by periods of dyspnea followed by periods of apnea, frequently noted in the dying patient.

Rales

Bubbling, crackling, or noisy respiratory sounds caused by fluids or mucus in the air passages.

Wheezing

Difficult breathing with a high-pitched whistling or sighing sound during expiration, caused by a narrowing of bronchioles or mucus accumulation.

Cyanosis

A dusky, bluish discoloration of the skin, lips, and/or nail beds resulting from decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.

Graphic Sheets

Special medical records used for presenting a visual diagram of variations in a patient's vital signs (TPR).

Apical Pulse

A pulse count taken with a stethoscope at the apex of the heart by listening to the actual heartbeats.

Stethoscope

An instrument used to listen to internal body sounds, consisting of earpieces, tubing, and a bell or diaphragm.

Pulse Deficit

A condition occurring when the apical pulse rate is higher than the rate at another pulse site (e.g., radial pulse), calculated by subtracting the radial pulse rate from the apical pulse rate.

Systolic Pressure

The pressure occurring in the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart contracts and pushes blood into the arteries.

Diastolic Pressure

The constant pressure in the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is at rest between contractions.

Pulse Pressure

The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure, serving as an indicator of the health and tone of arterial walls.

Hypertension

High blood pressure, indicated when blood pressure readings are greater than $130\text{ mm Hg}$ systolic and $80\text{ mm Hg}$ diastolic.

Hypotension

Low blood pressure, indicated when readings are less than $90\text{ mm Hg}$ systolic and $60\text{ mm Hg}$ diastolic.

Orthostatic Hypotension

A sudden drop in both systolic and diastolic pressure occurring when an individual moves from a lying to a sitting or standing position.

Sphygmomanometer

An instrument used to measure blood pressure in millimeters of mercury ($\text{mm Hg}$).

Major Pulse Sites

Arterial locations across the body where a pulse can be felt, including temporal, carotid, brachial, radial, femoral, popliteal, dorsalis pedis, and posterior tibial.