Chapter 2: Basic Patient Assessment - Vital Signs and Breath Sounds

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering vital signs, assessment ranges, and breath sounds based on basic patient assessment protocols.

Homeostatic

A normal state of balance between heat production and heat loss in the body.

Normal Oral Temperature Range

$$97 - 99.5^{\circ}F$$

Hypothermia

An abnormal body temperature that is too low, often caused by environmental exposure, excessive sweating, blood loss, or hormone imbalance.

Hyperthermia

An abnormal body temperature that is too high, caused by high temperatures, medication reaction, hormone imbalance, or illness.

Pulse

An indication of heart rate, with a normal adult range of $60$ to $100$ beats per minute.

Bradycardia

A low heart rate which can be caused by hypothermia, vagal stimulation, heart abnormalities, or depressants.

Tachycardia

A high heart rate which can be caused by hypoxemia, fever, emotional stress, blood volume loss, or heart abnormalities.

Rhythm

The regularity of the heartbeat.

Bounding pulse

An abnormal pulse rhythm characterized by both a rapid upstroke and a rapid downstroke, with a maximum point of intensity between them.

Plateau pulse

An abnormal pulse rhythm characterized by both a gradual upstroke and a gradual downstroke.

Respiratory Rate

The number of breaths taken by a patient in a 1-minute time interval; the normal adult rate is between $12$ and $20$.

Bradypnea

A respiratory rate that is too low, often caused by pharmacologic agents (narcotics), head injuries, or hypothermia.

Tachypnea

A respiratory rate that is too fast, often a sign of respiratory failure and caused by anxiety, exercise, fever, and hypoxemia.

Apnea

The absence of breathing resulting from impaired nervous transmission from the CNS or drug administration.

Blood Pressure

The measurement of the pressure within the arterial system, influenced by the pumping action of the heart, blood volume, and wall elasticity.

Systolic Pressure

The pressure measured at the time the ventricles are contracting.

Diastolic Pressure

The pressure in the arterial system when the ventricles are at rest.

Normal Adult Blood Pressure Range

$90/60$ to $140/90\,mm\,Hg$

Hypertension

Blood pressure that is too high, often caused by exercise, stimulants, stress, renal failure, or hormone imbalance.

Hypotension

Blood pressure that is too low, often caused by shock, depressants, hormone imbalance, position, or fluid loss.

Auscultation

The act of listening for sounds within the body to detect changes that may indicate disease states.

Diaphragm (Stethoscope)

The part of the stethoscope chest piece used for high-pitched sounds and breath sounds.

Bell (Stethoscope)

The part of the stethoscope chest piece used for low-pitched sounds and heart sounds.

Vesicular Breath Sounds

Low-pitched soft sounds that are whispering or rustling in nature.

Bronchial Breath Sounds

Loud, high-pitched sounds similar to the sound generated by blowing through a tube.

Tracheal Breath Sounds

Very harsh and quite high-pitched sounds with the expiratory phase lasting a little longer than the inspiratory phase.

Crackles

Abnormal breath sounds that can be coarse or fine and are described by the location and phase heard.

Wheezes

High-pitched, continuous abnormal breath sounds described by location, phase, pitch, and intensity.

Rhonchi

Low-pitched, continuous abnormal breath sounds often described as wet.

Pleural Rub

An abnormal sound described as creaking leather that occurs when two pleural layers rub together with excessive friction.

Sphygmomanometer

A blood pressure cuff used in conjunction with a stethoscope to measure arterial pressure.

Tympanic Temperature

Body temperature measured using an electronic thermometer via a probe inserted into the ear canal.

Axillary Temperature

Body temperature measured by placing the thermometer within the armpit and holding the arm snugly against the side.