Transcript Clover_Chapter 06_Finalx

Chapter 6
Vital Signs Assessment
Vital Signs
• Used to assess the conditions of the various body systems,
particularly the respiratory and circulatory systems
• Signs will change as the body reacts to an injury or illness.
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Vital Signs
• Pulse
• Respiration
• Blood Pressure
• Temperature
• Pain
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Pulse
• Reflects the condition of the patient’s circulatory system and cardiac
function
• Can only be felt in an artery
• Changes in pulse indicate a change in patient status.
• The absence of a pulse indicates cardiac arrest or death.
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Pulse
• Use fingers to palpate an artery to listen for the
heartbeat.
• Normal pulse rate for an adult is 60 to 100
beats per minute
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Average heart rate is 70 to 80
Tachycardia: rates higher than 100
Bradycardia: rates below 60
In conditioned athlete, resting pulse is frequently
lower (50-60 bmp)
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Pulse
• Described as regular or irregular
• Quality refers to strength of the pulse
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Weak, strong, thready (weak and rapid), bounding
• Can be felt in many places on the body
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Most common: radial and carotid pulse
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Pulse
• Other places where the pulse may be felt:
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Temporal artery
Brachial artery
Femoral artery
Popliteal artery
Dorsalis pedis artery
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Respiration
• The process of bringing oxygen into the body where it can be
utilized by the cells, and expelling carbon dioxide as a waste product
from the cells
• A single respiration consists of one inspiration and one expiration.
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Respiration
• General guidelines for normal rates are:
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Age 15 years and older: 16 to 18 breaths per minute
Well-trained athlete: may be lower because of the increase of the lung
volume and vital capacity
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Respiratory Patterns
•Abdominal
•Apnea
•Bradypnea
•Cheyne-Stokes
respiration
•Decreased
•Dyspnea
•Hyperpnoea or
tachypnea
•Labored breathing
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Blood Pressure
• A measurement of the force of the blood exerted against the walls
of the arteries
• Recorded as two measurements
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Systolic: top number in a blood pressure reading
Diastolic: bottom number of a blood pressure reading
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Blood Pressure Terms
• Hypotension
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Low blood pressure
• Hypertension
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High blood pressure
• Sphygmomanometer
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Blood pressure cuff
Measures a person’s blood pressure along with a stethoscope
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Temperature
• Core temperature must remain within a relatively narrow range in
order for the body’s various systems to function efficiently
• Regulated by an area in the brain known as the hypothalamus
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Group of cells monitors the temperature of the blood and responds to any
change of temperature
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Temperature
• Normal body temperature is 98.6 ° Fahrenheit (37° Celsius)
• Core readings are more reliable indicators of the body’s
temperature than those reflecting surface temperature.
• Temperature value obtained may differ depending on the
measurement site
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Weight and Height
• Excess weight can contribute to a variety of health risks.
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Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and atherosclerosis
Decreased life expectancy
Poor circulation in the legs
Increased risk of diabetes
Increased stress on joints
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Weight and Height
• Weight is an important factor in maintaining good health.
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Height and weight are almost always measured in the course of a physical
examination.
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Additional Vital Signs
• Pain level
• Skin color (e.g., red, pale or ashen, blue)
• Pupils: size and reaction to light
• State of consciousness
• Strength and sensory changes
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