Vital signs key points

What are the important purposes of taking and recording vital signs?

Provides the patients overall health, provides baseline stats, sees underlying medical issues, and helps make treatment decisions

How can vital signs help detect underlying medical problems?

Checks your body’s basic functions to see how well your organs are working.

How can vital signs help guide dental treatment decisions?

help determine medications and the length and type of procedures

How often are blood pressure and pulse taken at IUFW?

At every appointment.

What should the patient be told after their blood pressure is taken?

The blood pressure results

What is blood pressure?

The force exerted by blood through the arteries

How is blood pressure expressed?

Systolic pressure, top number over diastolic pressure, bottom number

What is generally considered a normal or "healthy" blood pressure?

Below 120/80 mm Hg and above 90/60 mm Hg

What blood pressure is considered hypotension in this lecture?

90/60 mm Hg

What blood pressure puts a patient in the ASA IV category?

A systolic value above 180 or a diastolic value above 120

What happens at IUFW if a patient's systolic BP is above 180 or diastolic BP is above 120?

Reschedule the appointment until blood pressure is more stable

What is hypertension?

the force of blood against the artery walls is too high

What is hypertension commonly called?

The silent killer

Approximately how many U.S. adults are affected by hypertension?

Nearly half

How long should a patient be seated before taking their blood pressure?

5–10 minutes

How should a patient be positioned when preparing to take their blood pressure?

Sitting for 5–10 minutes, legs uncrossed, and have arms up to chest

What is a pulse, also called heart rate?

beats per minute

What is the normal resting heart rate for an adult?

60–100 beats per minute

Which artery is typically used when taking a patient's pulse?

radial artery in the wrist

Which fingers should be used to palpate the radial pulse?

index and middle fingers

Where are the index and middle fingers placed to take the radial pulse?

on thumb side of hand