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Vital Signs
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| apical pulse | the pulse on the left side of the chest, just below the nipple |
| apnea | the absence of breathing |
| BPM | the medical abbreviation for " beats per minute " |
| brachial pulse | the pulse inside the elbow; about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the elbow |
| bradycardia | a slow heart rate--- under 60 beats per minute |
| Cheyne-Stokes respiration | type of respiration with periods of apnea lasting at least 10 seconds, along with alternating periods of slow, irregular respirations and rapid, shallow respirations |
| Diastolic | second measurement of blood pressure; phase when the heart relaxes |
| Dilate | to widen |
| dyspnea | difficulty breathing |
| eupnea | normal respirations |
| hypertension | high blood pressure, measuring 140/90 or higher |
| hypotension | low blood pressure, measuring 100/60 or lower |
| hypothermia | a condition in which body temperature drops below the level required for normal functioning; serve sub-normal body temperature |
| orthopnea | shortness of breath when lying down that is relieved by sitting up |
| orthostatic hypotension | a sudden drop in blood pressure that occurs when a person stands or sits up; also called postural hypotension |
| prehypertension | a condition in which person has systolic measurement of 120-139 mm HG and diastolic measurement of 120-139 mm Hg; indicator that the person is likely to have high blood pressure in the future, even though he or she does not have it now |
| radial pulse | the pulse on the inside of the wrist, where the radial artery run just beneath the skin |
| sphygmomanometer | a device that measures blood pressure |
| stethoscope | an instrument used to hear sounds in the human body, such as the heartbeat or pulse, breathing sounds, or bowel sounds |
| systolic | first measurement of blood pressure ; phase when the is heart is at work , contracting and pushing blood out of the left ventricle |
| tachycardia | a fast hearbeat---over 100 beats per minute |
| thermometer | a device used for measuring the degree of heat and cold |
| Vital signs | measurement ( body tem. pulse, respiration, blood pressure,and pain level) that monitor the function of the vital organ of the body |
| BP,B/P | blood pressure |
| Tachypnea | rapid respiration-over 20 breaths per minute |