Vital Signs - Medical Clinical

Pulse

Pulse

The pressure of the blood that is felt against the wall of an artery as the heart beats and rests in a minute

Common Pulse Sites

• Carotid, used when checking a victim that has gone unconscious, adult or child

• Brachial, used when checking the pulse of an infant and placement of blood pressure cuff

• Radial Pulse, used most frequently and easily accessible in the body

Vital Signs

state of essential measures of life

3 Factors that must be noted about each and every pulse

Rate, Rhythm, Volume

Rate in pulse

Number of times the beating of the heart is felt in one minute

Pulse rate for Adults

60-90 bpm

Pulse rate for Children

80-110 bpm

Pulse rate for Infants

100-160 bpm

Rhythm in pulse

Pattern of expansion and contraction of the pulse, either regular or irregular

Volume

Strength of the expansion and contraction, either strong or weak

What three things increase Pulse

Excitement, Drugs, Exercise

What three things decrease Pulse

Depressant Drugs, Sleep, Heart Disease

Cardia

Heart

Tachy

Fast

Brady

Slow

Rhythmia

Normal rhythm

Arrhythmia

Abnormal rhythm

Respirations

The process of bringing oxygen into the body and expelling carbon dioxide

Inhalation (inspiration)

Breathing in oxygen

Exhalation (expiration )

Release of carbon dioxide into the air after gas exchange

What makes up respiration?

Breathing in oxygen, (inhalation) , carbon dioxide and oxygen mix, (ventilation), exhaling carbon dioxide, (exhalation), makes a breath = respiration

-Pnea

breathing

Hypnea

abnormal depth and rate

Hyperventilation

Increase in depth and rate associated with increased amounts of carbon dioxide

3 factors that must be noted about respirations

Rate, Rhythm, Depth

Rate in respirations

Number of breaths per minute

Rhythm in respirations

Regular or Irregular

Cheyne-Stokes

A grossly irregular pattern

Kussmanl’s

Deep, gasping respirations; air hungers

Depth in respirations

Deep or shallow

Abdominal breathing

Using primarily the abdominal muscles

Costal breathing

Chest moves upward and outward, powered by the diaphragm

Dyspnea

Difficult or painful breathing, sob

Sob

Shortness of breath

Wheeze

Narrowing of airways; asthma

Cyanosis

Skin starts turning blue

Temperature

The balance in the body of the heat that is produced and lost from the body

Heat can be produce by the breakdown of ___.

food

Thermoregulator

Maintains a steady internal body temperature

Body Temperature

98.6 F / 37 C

Where to take body temperature.

Temples, Tympanic, Oral, Axillary, Rectal

Pulse points.

Temporal, Coratid, Brachial, Radial, Femoral, Popliteal, Posterior Tibial , Dorsal Pedis,

What affects temperature?

Exercise, Illness, Physical Environment

What degree F indicates fever?

102 F

What degree F indicates hypothermia?

95 F

Fever medical term is ____.

febrile

Heat is transferred in ____.

blood

Respirations in Adults

12-20 bpm

Respirations in Children

16-22 bpm

Respirations in Infants

20-40 bpm

Blood Pressure

Measurement of the pressure of the blood exerted against the walls of the arteries

Systolic

Pressure on the arteries when the heart is contracting

Diastolic

Relaxation of the heart

Hypertension

High blood pressure, 140/100 mmHg

mmHg

millimeters of mercury

Hypotension

Low blood pressure, 90/60 mmHg

Normal BP

120/80 mmHg

Factors that influence BP

Stress, Exercise, Age

Pulse Oximetry

Amount of oxygen being delivered to the tissues, normal is above 95%