VITAL SIGNS:

1. VITAL SIGNS:

2. VITAL SIGNS: • VITAL SIGNS ARE PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT INDICATE AN INDIVIDUAL IS ALIVE • THESE CAN INCLUDE: • PULSE, RESPIRATIONS, TEMPERATURE, BLOOD PRESSURE, ETC. • THESE SIGNS MAY BE OBSERVED, MEASURED AND MONITORED TO ASSESS AN INDIVIDUALS LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING

3. VITAL SIGNS: • NORMAL VITAL SIGNS CHANGE WITH AGE, SEX, WEIGHT, EXERCISE TOLERANCE AND CONDITIONING • ALL VITAL SIGNS MEASUREMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WHILE THE PATIENT IS SEATED • PRIOR TO MEASURING VITAL SIGNS, THE PATIENT SHOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REST FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES

4. PULSE: • THE PULSE REFLECTS THE CONDITION OF THE PATIENTS CIRCULATORY SYSTEM AND CARDIAC FUNCTION • PULSE RATES VARY WITH THE SIZE OF THE PATIENT, PHYSICAL CONDITION, AND AGE

5. PULSE: • PULSE IS RECORDED IN TERMS OF BEATS PER MINUTE (BPM) • NORMAL PULSE RATE FOR AN ADULT IS 60-100 BPM WITH THE AVERAGE BEING 70-80 BPM • RATES HIGHER THAN 100 ARE KNOWN AS TACHYCARDIA AND RATES BELOW 60 ARE KNOWN AS BRADYCARDIA • IN A TRAINED ATHLETE, PULSE CAN BE LOWER (50-60 BPM) BECAUSE THEIR HEART MUSCLE RECEIVES MORE EXERCISE

6. PULSE: • BULSE RATE IS ONE MEASUREMENT • ANOTHER IS QUALITY OF THE HEART BEAT • WEAK • STRONG • THREADY (WEAK AND RAPID) • BOUNDING (UNUSUALLY FULL AND STRONG)

7. PULSE: • WHAT IT CAN MEAN: • RAPID WEAK PULSE: • SHOCK, BLEEDING, DIABETIC COMA, OR HEAT EXHAUSTION • RAPID STRONG PULSE: • HEATSTROKE, SEVERE FRIGHT, OR HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE) • STRONG SLOW PULSE: • SKULL FRACTURE OR STROKE • ABSENCE OF A PULSE: • CARDIAC ARREST OR DEATH

8. CHECKING PULSE: • THE PLSE CAN BE FELT IN MANY PLACES ON THE BODY

9. CHECKING PULSE: • PULSE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN WITH YOUR FIRST 2 FINGERS (INDEX AND MIDDLE) • NEVER USE YOUR THUMB BECAUSE THE THUMB HAS A PULSE OF ITS OWN • PULSE SHOULD BE MONITORED FOR ONE MINUTE OR 30 SECONDS AND MULTIPLIED BY 2

10. RESPIRATIONS: • BREATHING, OR RESPIRATION, IS THE PROCESS OF BRINGING OXYGEN INTO THE BODY WHERE IT CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE CELLS • RESPIRATIONS CAN BE ALTERED BY EXCITEMENT, DRUGS, DISEASES, PAIN, TRAUMA, FEVER, ETC

11. RESPIRATIONS: • A SINGLE RESPIRATION CONSISTS OF ONE INSPIRATION AND ONE EXPIRATION • NORMAL RESPIRATION RATES FOR AN AVERAGE ADULT ARE 15-20 BREATHS PER MINUTE • A WELL TRAINED ATHLETE CAN BE AS LOW AS 6-8 BREATHS PER MIN

12. RESPIRATIONS: • BRADYPNEA: ABNORMALLY SLOW • DYSPNEA: DIFFICULT OR PAINFUL BREATHING; SHORTNESS OF BREATH • HYPERPNEA OR TACHYPNEA: BREATHING THAT IS FASTER OR DEEPER THAN NORMAL (HYPERVENTILATION) • KUSSMAUL’S BREATHING: DEEP, GASPING RESPIRATIONS

13. CHECKING RESPIRATIONS: • COUNT THE NUMBER OF BREATHS A PATIENT HAS FOR ONE MINUTE OR THE NUMBER OF BREATHS IN 30 SECONDS AND MULTIPLY BY 2 • KEEP IN MIND: SOMETIMES LETTING THE PATIENT KNOW THAT YOU ARE COUNTING THEIR RESPIRATIONS WILL ALTER THE NUMBER

14. BLOOD PRESSURE: • BLOOD PRESSURE IS A MEASUREMENT OF THE PRESSURE OF THE BLOOD EXERTED AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES • THE PRESSURE IS MEASURED AS 2 MEASUREMENTS • SYSTOLIC: PRESSURE WHEN HEART CONTRACTS (TOP #) • DIASTOLIC: PRESSURE WHEN THE HEART IS AT REST (BOTTOM #)

15. BLOOD PRESSURE: • BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE AFFECTED BY: • INCREASE: AGE, EXERCISE, OBESITY, FOOD, PAIN, STRESS, STIMULANTS, STEROIDS, AND CERTAIN MEDICATIONS • DECREASE: WEIGHT LOSS, FASTING, DEPRESSION, AND BLOOD LOSS

16. BLOOD PRESSURE: • NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE IS MEASURED AS 120/80 • ABNORMAL SYSTOLIC: • BELOW 100 OR ABOVE 139 • ABNORMAL DIASTOLIC: • BELOW 65 OR ABOVE 89

17. BLOOD PRESSURE: • HYPOTENSION-LOW BLOOD PRESSURE • MAY INDICATE SHOCK, DEHYDRATION, OR INTERNAL INJURY • HYPERTENSION-HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE • MAY INDICATE CARDIAC PROBLEMS AND STROKE • CAUSES OF THIS COULD BE OBESITY, LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, TOO MUCH SALT IN DIET, AND STRESS

18. TEMPERATURE: • THE BODY’S CORE TEMPERATURE MUST REMAIN WITHIN A RELATIVELY NARROW RANGE IN ORDER FOR THE BODY’S VARIOUS SYSTEMS TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY • NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE IS 98.6 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT (37 DEGREES CELSIUS)