Ch 30. Vital Signs

Question 1

6 vital signs

Answer 1

Temperature
Blood Pressure
Pluse
Respiratory Rate
O2 Sat
"Pain"

Question 2

Heat production -3

Answer 2

• Hypothalamas senses changes in external temo.
> Anterior hypo = heat loss.
> Posterior hypo = heat production
• Basal metabolic rate – depends on surface area (number of calories required to keep your body functioning at rest)
• Shivering – needs lots of NRG (increase heat production)
• Nonshivering thermogenesis

Question 3

Physiology Heat Loss

Answer 3

Radiation 
Conduction
Convection
Evaporation
Diaphoresis

Question 4

Factors Affecting Body Temperature

Answer 4

• Age: Infants don’t have temp reguoations, eldery also has a deteriation of temp cntrl regulation mechanisms
• Exercise: increase metabolism (women have greater fluctuations than man due to hormone changes)
• Circadian rhythm: 24hr period where temp fluctuates up to 1ºc
• Stress
• Environment: warm/cold room, clothing
• Medication: certain anti=psychotic meds affect bodies ability to temp regulate

Question 5

Character of the pulse

Answer 5

Rate – number of times it beats in a min
Rhythm -
Strength – volume of blood and contition of articular vascular system
Equality – is the pulse the same on both sides of the body

Question 6

Three components of respiration:

Answer 6

Ventilation
The movement of gases in and out of the lungs

Diffusion
The movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the red blood cells

Perfusion
The distribution of red blood cells to and from the pulmonary capillaries

Question 7

Factors Influencing Blood Pressure

Answer 7

• Age – increase throughout life
• Stress – increase stress increase bp (pain, etc.)
• Ethnicity – south Asia, indigenous, Africans have higher bp
• Gender – known difs, pubescent boys have higher and post menopausal fem
• Daily variation – rise in evening and decrease at night
• Medications – antihypertensive meds (bp meds), opioids, vasocontrivtors
• Activity, weight, smoking – bp high after exercise. 1hr after eating has decrease in bp. Bp raises during and after smoking

Question 8

Blood Pressure of
Infant
7-year-old

Answer 8

Infant
sys 65–115
di 42–80

7-year-old
sys 87–117
di 48–64

Question 9

Blood P. Cuff to narrow/short?

Blood P cuff to wide?

Answer 9

Blood P. Cuff to narrow/short –>false high

Blood P cuff to wide –> false low