chapter 27: vital signs Flashcards
four basic vital signs :
temperature
pulse
respiration
blood pressure
. When an increase in metabolism occurs (such as during strenuous exercise), vital sign measurements also typically increase.
t or f
true
One of your roles as a dental assistant is to inquire about and recognize these situations and help the patient relax before taking his or her vital signs.
t or f
true
is the degree of hotness or coldness of the body’s internal environment.
body temperature
The process of physical and chemical changes that take place in the production of the body’s heat is called
metabolism
A person’s lowest body temperature occurs in the early ____hours, and the highest temperature occurs in the ____.
morning
evening
The normal range of oral temperature of a resting adult is _______
97.6° F to 99° F (36.4°–37.3° C).
The thermometer can be placed in these places
under the tounge
- in the ear
- under the ar,
- rectum
- forehead
This technique allows you to take a patient’s temperature within the ear
(infrared signal is bounced off the eardrum and provdes accurate reading in 2 secinds)
popular with younger children bc of rapid measurement
tymphanic reading
this themometer uses the surface temperature of the artery on the forehead to determine the presence of a fever.
temporal scanner
is the rhythmic expansion of an artery each time the heart beats.
pulse
artery throughout the body has a pulse, although many pulses cannot be read because of their location.
t or f
true
the pulse can be felt in these seven areas of the body with light finger pressure :
RADIAL ARTERY ( wrist)
- BRACHIAL ARTERY ( inner fold of the arm aka antecubital area)
- CAROTID ARTERY (alongside larynx)
- TEMPORAL artery ( temple)
- FEMORAL ARTERY ( inside front of leg)
- POSTERIOR TIBIAL ARTERY (behind ankle)
- DORSALIS PEDIS ARTERY ( top of foot)
is the number of beats that occur during the counting period.
rate
describes the pattern of the beats, such as an occasional skipping, speeding up,
rhythm
is the force of the beat, such as a strong or a weak beat.
volume
When taking a patient’s radial pulse, make sure the patient is positioned with his or her arm at the same level as or lower than the ___ .
heart
Irregularity in the force or rhythm of the heartbeat
arrythmia
is the process of inhaling and exhaling, or breathing
respiration
During respiration, oxygen is taken into the body and ____ ____ is released as a waste product.
carbon dioxide
The normal respiration rate for a relaxed adult is __ - __ breaths per minute.
and __ - __ for children and teenager
10-20
18-30
refers to the amount of labor the heart must exert to pump blood throughout the body.
blood pressure
The first sound ____indicates the
____ pressure that is required for the left ventricle of the heart to compress or push oxygenated blood out into the blood vessels
systole
systolic
The second _____ is the
______ pressure, which reflects the heart muscle at rest,
diastole
diastolic
includes the blood pressure cuff and meter; it is used to measure blood pressure
sphygmomanometer
is used to amplify sounds referred to as Korotkoff sounds.
stethoscope
Using the electronic blood pressure device is compared to using the sphygmomanometer without the ________.
stethoscope
is a procedure used for measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood
(for monitoring oxygenation and pulse rate throughout anesthesia and during the recovery phase.)
oximetry
A fit, healthy person should have an oxygen saturation level between ___ & ____ %
95-99%
is a measure the electrical activity of the heartbeat by the procedure of electrocardiography
The electrocardiogram (ECG; sometimes called EKG)
occurs when the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat is altered.
sinus arrythmia
occurs when the atria contracts before the next cardiac cycle begins.
(more common to see this with a patient who smokes o)r who consumes a large amount of caffeine.
atrial arrythmia
is seen when the atria are beating at an extremely rapid rate.
An example would be up to 300 beats per minute. This can be reversed with medication to slow the heart.
atrial flutter
such as premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), occurs when the ventricles contract before the next cardiac cycle
ventricular arrythmia
also referred to as V-tach, occurs when the ventricles are beating at an extremely fast rate.
ventricular tachycardia
also referred to as V-fib, is the most critical and life-threatening arrhythmia. This will result in death if not treated
ventricular fibrillation
is the result of no heartbeat and a flat line on the ECG.
asystole
