Vital Signs Review

vital signs

temp, respirations, pulse, blood pressure, pain, oxygen saturation

subjective findings

what patient tells you

objective findings

what you observe

what happens when temp is too hot

blood vessels dilate → heat to surface

what happens when body temp is too cold

blood vessels constrict; shivering

normal body temp range

~ 97-99.6 degrees F (36.1 - 37.5 degrees C)

convert farenheight to celsius

subtract 32 and divide by 1.8 OR do (F-32).5556

Celsius to farenheight

times 1.8, + 32

Oral temp range

97.6 - 99.6 degrees F ; 98.6F being the average. oral is common

rectal temp range

98.6 - 100.6 F, average is 99.6 F . core temp (rectal) is most accurate & typically used for babies

Axillary / groin temp range

96.6F - 98.6F ; average is 97F

Aural

typically have range in manual; ~same as oral range

thermoregulation

keep body @ set range when surrounding temp is different

temp increases when (examples)

illness, infection, exercise, envrionment

temp decreases when (examples)

environment, starvation (body eats muscle), fasting, sleep, decreased muscle activity, mouth breathing

fever is usually

> 100 degrees, 101 typically considered fever in med

ferbile

fever

aferbile

no fever

pyrexia

fever ; abnormally high temperature

hypothermia

below normal temp

hyperprexia

extremely high fever

malignant hyperthermia

usually from gaseous anesthesia, genetic problem

hypothermia

cannot replenish heat, temp <95 degrees. <93 degrees leads to death

denoting temp example

100.2 becomes T-100². Rectal has R, axillary Ax, Aural T

pulse points

radial (wrist), carotid (neck), dorsalis pedis (across top of foot), posterior tibial, femoral (leg), popliteal (behind knee), brachial (arm), temporal (forehead), ulnar, axillary (armpits)

pulse can be taken on 

artery

pulse rate is measured in

BPM

pulse strength grades

0: absent, 1: barely palpable, 2: easily palpable, 3: full, 4: aneurysmal/bounding

bradycardia

less than 60BPM, slow

tachycardia

greater than 100BPM, fast

arrythmia

abnormal rhythm

volume

intensity of the pulse (bounding, weak, steady, or strong)

pulse factors

meds, drugs, exercise, anxiety, age, altitude, illness, smoking, hormones, environment, eating/drinkingu

causes for increase in pulse

temporary: infection, exercise, fever, heavy eating, stimulants, shock, fear, vitamin deficiencies

types of shock

sepsis, anaphylactic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic, neurogenic

permanent increase in pulse

heart diseases, HTN, thyroid malfunction, damaged upper heart chamber, ephysema or COPD

decrease in pulse

hypothyroidism, sleeping, drinking, athletes, cold envrionment, coma, aging, structural problems, disease

recording pulse

capital P: ex: P-100 or pulse 100 is at radial artery

respirations

process of breathing in or out ; internal = throughout body and external is at lung

normal respiration range

adult: 12-20, children: 16-25, infant: 30-60. <12 (bradicnic) or >20 (typhicnic) is abnormal without reason

dyspnea

difficult / labored breathingap

apnea

absence of breathing

tachypnea

fast breathing, >25

bradypnea

slow breathing, <10

cyanosis

blue discoloration b/c inadequate oxygenation

rales / crackles

bubbling from mucus/lungs , sound like hair rubbing. seen w/ pneumonia + CHF

rhonchi sound

course rattling, like snoring. found in large main stem bronchi

wheezing

high whistling sound

orthopnea

difficulty breathing w/ any position other than standing + sitting

cheyne strokes

“death breath” - dyspnea w/ aponea

respirations are denoted with

R

systolic blood pressure

top #, as arteries are pushing out

diastolic blood pressure

bottom #, arteries relax

BP

blood pressure ; the pressure as blood exerts on arteries pumped throughout body

BP unit

mmHg (millimeters of mercury)

normal BP range

<120 / <80

hypertension

elevated BP: 120-129/<80 ; stage 1: 130-139/80-89, stage 2: 140+/90+, severe / hypertensive emergency: >180/>120

pulse range

60-90

hypotension

low BP ; <100/60

orthostatic hypotension

decrease in pressure when moving from lying to sitting or sitting to standing

causes of increase BP

exercise, stimulants, smoking, eating, White Coat Syndrome, pregnancy

causes of decrease BP

flow of blood too low ; causes dehydration, bleeding, infection/inflammation/anaphylaxis, deformities of heart

causes of increased respiration

disaese, environment, fear, drugs, age, exercise, fever, systemic illness, pain, asthma, ASA OD