Health Notes 2

Temprature

mesures balance between heat body loses and the heat that the body produces

heat lost through prestperation excretion, and slow metabolism

heat produced by metabolism and muscle and gland activity

Homiostasis

stable conditons of the body’s organs, tissues, and systems

abnormals tempratures affect homiostasis which effevts the health of patient

methods of temprature taking

Tympanic- ear

oral-

    avg.98.6 F and 37 C

Rectal

    internal=most accurate

    avg. 99.6 F and 37.5C

Axillary of groin

    external=less accurate

    avg. 97.6 and 36.4

temporal- forehead

Factors that effect temprature

INCREASE

-Illness, infection, exercise, air temp

DECREASE

-starvation,sleep, decreased mucles activity, diesease, air temp

Abnormal Temp

Hypothermia-

    rectal- below95F

    Death-below 93F

Fever

    rectal- above 101

Hyperthermia

thermometer types

    glass

    elecrtonic tynpanic

    temporal

temporal artery thermometer

known at a (TA),

temp taken over the temporal artery

quick non invasive

Blood Pressure

•Force of blood against artery walls when the heart beats 

•Systolic indicates when left ventricle contracts to push blood into arteries

•Diastolic indicates pressure on artery walls when left ventricle relaxes

•Measured in millimeters of Mercury (mm HG)

Normal Blood Pressure

•Average normal systolic

◦Less than 120 mm Hg

•Average normal Diastolic

◦Less than 80 mm Hg

•Normal pulse pressure is 40mm Hg

Blood Presssure Guidelines

Blood pressure categories are as follows: 

     •Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg

    •Elevated Blood Pressure: Systolic between 120-129 mm Hg anddiastolic less than 80 mm Hg

    •Stage 1 Hypertension: Systolic between 130-139 mm Hg ordiastolic between 80-89 mm Hg

    •Stage 2 Hypertension: Systolic at least 140 mm Hg or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg

    •Hypertensive crisis: Systolic over 180 mm Hg and/or diastolic over 120 mm Hg  

    •Hypertension – high blood pressure

Hyper Tention

•Risk factors:

◦diet, exercise, heredity, stress, drug abuse and smoking

•Effects:

◦can result in other disorders such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, or other organ failure

•Hypertensive crisis

◦requires immediate medical attention

•Reading below 100/60

•Causes:

◦Rest, sleep, shock, depressants, blood loss, fasting

•Orthostatic hypotension results from a quick change in position.

Factors

◦Elasticity - the ability of the arteries to return to normal size after being stretched by each pulsation of blood.

◦Volume of the blood in the arteries.

◦Different patient positions: laying down, sitting, etc.

Sphygmomanometer

•Used to measure blood pressure

•Older versions contained mercury

•Aneroid versions use air, but still measure in millimeters of mercury

Digital Blood Pressure Monitors

•Easier and less time consuming 

•Do not require stethoscope

•Sometimes, a manual cuff with an analog gauge ma

Pulse

•Pressure of blood pushing against wall of artery as the heart contracts

•Several pulse sites on body

•Abnormalities can signal disease

Assessing Pulse

•Rate: number of beats per minute 

•Rhythm: pattern of beats 

•Volume: character, or strength, of beats

Pulse Sites

•Detected where superficial artery has a bone behind it

•Sites often named according to nearby bones or structures

•Most common sites are radial and brachial

Palpation and Auscultation

•Palpation: Examination by applying slight pressure to a pulse point with fingertips

•Auscultation: Examination by listening, usually with a stethoscope.

◦Ex., apical pulse

Lesson 1– Pulse Rate

•Increase pulse

◦Exercise, stimulants, excitement, fever, shock

•Decrease pulse

◦Sleep, depressants, heart disease, coma

•Abnormally high or low pulse can signal disease, such as Bradycardia and Tachycardia.

Pulse Rhythm

•Regular: equal spacing of beats

•Irregular: Unequal spacing of beats

•Arrhythmia is abnormal rhythm

Pulse Volume

•Described as strong, weak, thready, or bounding

•Often recorded using numbers

•0= Absent

•1= Thready

•2= Strong

Radial Pulse

Radial Pulse Deficit

•Normally, apical and radial pulses are the same.

•Difference between apical and radial pulse rates

◦Subtract radial pulse from apical pulse

Apical Pulse

•Apical pulse is patient’s heartbeat

•Stethoscope is placed over apex of the heart 

•Used for infants, small children, and patients with certain illnesses

Resperation

Respiration

•Rate of breathing

•Counted as one inhalation and one exhalation 

•Assessed by rate, character, and rhythm

Respiration Rate

•Number of respirations per minute

•Adults: 14 to 18 breaths per minute (12 to 20 is also normal)

•Children: 16 to 27

infants 30-50

Respiration Character

•Described as normal, shallow, deep, or labored 

•Normal is effortless, quiet, and regular 

•Also: Difficult, moist, stertorous (similar to snoring)

Respiration Rhythm

•Described as regular or irregular

•Regular has equal spacing of breaths

•Irregular has unequal spacing of breath

Abnormal Respiration

•Dyspnea = Difficult or labored breathing

•Apnea = Temporary absence of respirations

•Tachypnea = Over 25 breaths per minute

•Bradypnea = Under 10 breaths per minute

•Orthopnea = Respiration possible only when sitting or standing erect

Cheyne-Stokes = Short, shallow breaths followed by deeper, frequent breaths, followed by apnea for 10-20 seconds

•Rales = Noisy

•Wheezing = High-pitched whistle during exhalation and difficulty breathing

•Cyanosis = Skin, nail beds, lips turn blue

Assessing Respiration

•Measured right after pulse 

•Patient should believe that pulse is still being taken

•Patient may alter breathing pattern if aware respiration is being assessed

Pulmonary Function Tests

•Pulmonary function tests – used to measure breathing and how well lungs are functioning

•Examples:

◦Spirometry

◦Plethysmography