Medical Assisting: Vital Signs - Pulse, Respirations, Blood Pressure, and Oximetry

Vocabulary practice flashcards created from lecture materials covering pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry.

Pulse

The number of heartbeats per minute ($\text{bpm}$), representing the wave of blood created each time the left ventricle contracts.

Tachycardia

A rapid pulse rate defined as greater than $100\,\text{bpm}$ in an adult.

Bradycardia

A slow pulse rate defined as less than $60\,\text{bpm}$ in an adult.

Pulse Volume

The strength or forcefulness of the pulse when the heart contracts, influenced by blood volume, heartbeat force, and arterial wall condition.

Bounding Pulse

A pulse characterized by a strong or forceful blood volume movement.

Thready Pulse

A pulse characterized by a weak, barely perceptible force or blood volume.

Dysrhythmia

An irregular pattern or unequal spacing of pulse beats; also termed arrhythmia.

Intermittent Pulse

A temporary pulse rhythm variation where the heart skips a beat, occasionally brought on by caffeine intake.

Radial Pulse Site

The most common pulse site, located on the thumb side of the wrist approximately 1 inch below the thumb base.

Brachial Pulse Site

The pulse site located on the inner aspect of the elbow (antecubital space), used during blood pressure measurement.

Carotid Pulse Site

The pulse site located on the neck between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid muscle, routinely used during CPR.

Popliteal Pulse Site

The pulse site located deep behind the knee, felt most easily when the knee is slightly bent.

Dorsalis Pedis Pulse Site

The pulse site located on top of the foot slightly lateral to the midline, utilized to evaluate peripheral foot circulation.

Nine Pulse Sites

The anatomical locations used to palpate or auscultate a pulse: temporal, carotid, apical, brachial, radial, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis.

Pulse Deficit

The mathematical difference between the apical pulse rate and the radial pulse rate when evaluated concurrently.

Respiration

The process of breathing, wherein one complete cycle consists of one inspiration (inhalation) and one expiration (exhalation).

Bradypnea

An abnormally slow adult respiratory rate below 12 cycles per minute.

Tachypnea

An abnormally rapid adult respiratory rate above 40 cycles per minute.

Apnea

The temporary absence of breathing for a period lasting longer than 19 seconds.

Eupnea

Normal, unlabored breathing at an expected rate and depth.

Cyanosis

A bluish coloration of the skin, nail beds, and perioral region resulting from reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations in the blood.

Stridor

A shrill, harsh respiratory sound heard predominantly during inspiration, seen in croup or laryngeal obstruction.

Stertorous Sounds

Noisy, labored breathing sounds resembling snoring.

Crackles

Abnormal respiratory sounds (formerly rales) resembling crushing tissue paper, caused by fluid or secretion collection in airways.

Rhonchi

Rattling or whistling throat sounds (gurgles), commonly heard in patients with tracheostomies requiring mucous suctioning.

Wheezes

High-pitched whistling sounds produced when passage of air is obstructed by narrowed airways, such as in asthma or COPD.

Cheyne-Stokes Breathing

A pattern of breathing characterized by alternating shallow/slow breaths, deeper/faster breaths, and brief periods of apnea.

Hypertension

A clinical condition where blood pressure is persistently elevated at or above $140/90\,\text{mmHg}$.

Essential Hypertension

Condition of its own; not caused by other condition.

Secondary Hypertension

High BP results from underlying condition (such as renal disease or pregnancy

Hypotension

Abnormally low blood pressure. May be a result of emotional shock, trauma, central nervous system disorders. Systems include dizziness or fainting

Systolic Blood Pressure

The maximum arterial pressure exerted when the left ventricle contracts.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

The minimum arterial pressure exerted while the heart muscle is resting between contractions.

Pulse Pressure

The difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements.

White Coat Syndrome

Elevated blood pressure readings caused by patient anxiety or apprehension associated with being in a healthcare setting.

Korotkoff Sounds

The arterial sounds heard through a stethoscope during blood pressure cuff deflation, divided into five distinct phases.

Auscultatory Gap

A temporary absence of sound occurring during Phase II of Korotkoff sounds before the sound reemerges at a lower pressure.

Orthostatic Hypotension

A transient drop in blood pressure caused by rapid changes in body posture, often accompanied by dizziness or blurred vision.

Benign Hypertension

Slow-onset elevated blood pressure that presents without noticeable symptoms.

Malignant Hypertension

Rapidly advancing, severe high blood pressure that can be fatal if not treated urgently.

Sphygmomanometer

An instrument used to measure blood pressure, consisting of a pressure scale (manometer), rubber bladder inside a cuff, and an inflation bulb.

Stethoscope Diaphragm

The flat disc sound collector of a stethoscope designed to detect high-frequency sounds, such as lung and bowel sounds.

Stethoscope Bell

The cup-shaped sensor of a stethoscope designed to detect low-frequency cardiovascular sounds.

Oxygen Saturation ($\text{SpO}_2$)

The percentage of oxygen bound to hemoglobin in peripheral arterial blood, with a normal range of $95\% - 100\%$.

Pulse Oximeter

An electronic medical device that noninvasively measures peripheral blood oxygen saturation ($\text{SpO}_2$) and pulse rate.