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DHO Chapter 15-CK

Vital Signs

TermDefinition
apical pulse pulse taken with a stethoscope and near the apex of the heart.
apnea Absence of respirations; temporary cessation of respirations.
arrhythmia irregular or abnormal rhythm, usually referring to the heart rhythm.
aural temperature taken with a special tympanic thermometer that is placed in the ear or the auditory canal
axillary temperature taken under the armpit under the upper arm less accurate
blood pressure measurement of the force exerted by the heart against the arterial walls when the heart contracts (beats) and relaxes.
bradycardia slow heart rate, usually below 60 beats per minute.
bradypnea slow respiratory rate, usually below 10 respirations per minute.
character the quality of respirations for example deep shallow or labored.
cheyne-stokes periods of difficult breathing followed by periods of no respirations.
clinical thermometers may be used to record temperatures. a slender glass tube containing mercury or alcohol with red dye.
cyanosis bluish color of the skin,nail beds,and/or lips due to an insufficient amount of oxygen in the blood.
diastolic constant pressure in the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is at rest or between contractions.
dyspnea difficult or labored breathing
electronic thermometers registers the temperature on a viewer in a few seconds. They can be used to take oral, rectal,axillary, or groin.
fever elevated body temperature, usually above 101f or 38.3c rectally
homeostasis the ideal health state in the human body
hypertension high blood pressure. greater than 140mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic.
hyperthermia occurs when the body temperature exceeds 104F (40C) measured rectally
hypotension low blood pressure pressure less than 90mm Hg and 60 mm Hg.
hypothermia a low body temperature, below 95F (35C) measured rectally
oral temperature temperature taken in the mouth.This is the most common and convenient method of obtaining a temperature. eating, drinking, or smoking can alter the temperature.
orthopnea severe dyspnea in which breathing is very difficult in any position other than sitting erect, or standing.
pulse the pressure of the blood felt against the wall of the artery as the heart contracts and relaxes, or beats
pulse deficit a condition that occurs with some heart conditions. In some cases the heart is weak and does not pump enough blood to produce a pulse or the heart pumps too fast and there is not enough time for the heart to fill with blood.
pulse pressure is an important indicator of the health and tone of arterial walls. normal rate for pulse pressure in adults is 30 to 50mm Hg.
pyrexia another term for fever
rale bubbling or noisy sounds caused by fluid or mucus in the air passages
rate the number of beats per minute.
rectal temperature are taken in the rectum. This is an internal measurement and is the most accurate
respirations the breathing rate of the patient.
rhythm refers to regularity
sphygmomanometer an instrument used to measure blood pressure in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The main types are mercury, aneroid, and electronic.
stethoscope an instrument used to listen to internal body sounds.
systolic pressure occurs in the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is contracting and pushing blood into the arteries.
tachycardia a pulse rate over 100 beats per minute (except in children)
tachypnea rapid, shallow respiratory rate above 25 respirations per minute.
temperature measurement of the balance between heat lost and heat produced by the body
temporal scanning thermometer specialized electronic thermometers that measure the temperature in the temporal artery of the forehead.
temporal temperature A special temporal scanning thermometer is passed in a straight line across the forehead, midway between the eyebrows and upper hairline.
tympanic thermometer specialized electronic thermometers that record the aural temperature in the ear.
vital signs various determinations that provide information about basic body conditions of the patient.
volume refers to strength
wheezing difficult breathing with a high pitched whistling or sighing sound during expiration caused by narrowing of the bronchioles.
Created by: cierrakenerly
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