Module 4 Vocab

Made before class

Blood pressure

The force of the moving blood against arterial walls

Max BP

BP is exerted on the walls of arteries when the LEFT ventricle of the heart contracts and pushes blood through the aortic valve into the aorta at the beginning of systole

Systolic Pressure

The highest pressure created during ventricular contraction

Diastolic

The lowest pressure present on arterials walls

Bradycardia

<60 BPM in an adult

• Can be normal (athletes & sleep) but also abnormal and lead to decrease in tissue perfusion

Tachycardia

Rapid heart rate, AKA >100 BPM in an adult

• Decrease cardiac filling time → Decrease SV & CO → Decreased tissue perfusion

Dyspnea

Difficult or labored breathing

AKA: SOB

Dysrhythmia

Irregular pattern of heartbeats

Eupnea

Normal, unlabored breathing

Febrile

Having a fever

Fever or pyrexia

Increase above normal in body temperature

HTN

BP above normal for sustained period

>130/>80 is Stage I HTN (but always check with AHA because they keep changing the standards)

Hyperthermia

High body temperature

Hypothermia

Low body temperature

Hypotension

Below-normal BP, <90/60 mmHg

Hypoventilation

Shallow, slow respiratory rate and depth

Decreased rate and depth; irregular breathing

Orthopnea

Patient can breathe more easily and most comfortably in an upright position, but struggles to breathe when lying flat

(Assoc. w/ pulmonary edema, heart disease, COPD, other chronic resp diseases)

Orthostatic

Common form of low BP resulting from an inadequate physiologic response to postural changes in BP

Pulse

The throbbing sensation of your heart beat that can be palpated over peripheral artery

Respirations

Involving ventilation (inspiration and expiration), diffusion (CO2 and O2 exchange in lungs & blood), and perfusion (CO2 and O2 exchange in blood & cells)

Tachypnea

Increased respiratory rate; >24 breaths/min

(assoc w/ hypoxia and thoracic pain)

Temperature

Difference between the amount of heat produced by the body and the amount of heat lost to the environment measured in degrees

Vital Signs

Indicators of physiologic functioning and reflect the health status of a person

Atelectasis

The incomplete expansion or collapse of alveoli with retained mucus that involves a portion of the lung nad results in poor gas exchange

Decreased lung sounds, dyspnea, cyanosis, crackles, restlessness, and apprehension.

DVT

A thrombus that forms in a deep vein, particularly in the legs of postoperative patients

Pneumonia

Inflammation of the alveoli as the result of an infectious process or the presence of foreign material

Pulmonary embolism

When a blood clot lodges in the pulmonary vessels

Venous thromboembolism

A clot that breaks loose and travels to the heart, brain, or lungs

Adventitious

Sounds that are extra and abnormal when breathing

i.e. wheezing or crackles

Alveoli

Small air sacs at the terminal bronchioles where gas exchange occurs

Cardiopulmonary

respiratory and cardiovascular systems to assist demand fir O2

Cilia

Microscopic hair-like projections, propel trapped material and accompanying mucus toward the upper airway so they can be removed by coughing.

Circulation

The continuous one-way circuit of blood through the blood vessels throughout the blood vessels, pumped by the heart

Crackles

Soft, high-pitched intermittent popping sounds heard on inspiration

Diffusion

Movement of O2 and CO2 between air (alveoli) and the blood (capillaries)

Movement from areas of high pressure to low pressure

Expiration

Exhalation

Inspiration

Inhalation

Oxygenation

Process of providing life-sustaining oxygen to the body’s cells

Perfusion

The process by which oxygenated capillary blood passes through body tissues

Pulse oximetry

Measures Peripheral arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SPO2) of arteral blood

A ratio expressed as a percentage

Spirometer

Instrument that measures lung volumes and airflow, used to promote deep breathing

Sputum

Respiratory secretion expelled by coughing or clearing the throat

Wheezes

Continuous musical sounds, produced as air passes through airways constricted by swelling, narrowing, secretions, or tumors.