Exam 1: Vital Signs & Health History, Physical Exam Techniques

Question 1

Vital Signs

Answer 1

Measurement of the body’s basic or ‘vital’ functions. Includes temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respirations. Can also include pulse oximetry. Baseline vital signs refer to a person’s typical vital signs.

Question 2

Hyperthermia

Answer 2

Body temperature greater than 38.0 C. Body temperature is higher than normal due to hot weather, infection or tissue damage.

Question 3

Hypothermia

Answer 3

Body temperature less than 36.0 C. Body temperature is lower than normal typically caused by accidental prolonged exposure to cold. May also be purposely induced to lower the body’s oxygen demands in surgical procedures and neurologic or cardiac conditions.

Question 4

Core temperature

Answer 4

Temperature of central circulation & organs. Ultimate goal of temperature measurement.
Three central sites for core measurement: head, chest, abdomen.

Question 5

Blood Pressure

Answer 5

BP = PVR X CO

Question 6

Peripheral Vascular Resistance (PVR)

Answer 6

Opposition to blood flow through the arteries.

Question 7

Cardiac Output (CO)

Answer 7

Amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle in one minute. Typically ~ 4 – 6 liters/minute.
CO=SV X HR

Question 8

Hypotension

Answer 8

Low blood pressure. Typically less than 95/60 mm Hg

Question 9

Hypertension

Answer 9

Stage I = 130 – 139/80-89 mmHg
Stage II = greater than 140 mmHg systolic and greater than 90 mmHg diastolic

Question 10

Systolic pressure

Answer 10

Maximum pressure felt on artery during left ventricular contraction, or systole.

Question 11

Diastolic pressure

Answer 11

Resting pressure that the blood exerts constantly between each beat.

Question 12

Pulse pressure

Answer 12

Difference between systolic and diastolic pressure. Typically 30 – 40 mm Hg

Question 13

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

Answer 13

Pressure forcing blood into the tissues averaged over the cardiac cycle. A MAP greater than 60 mmHg is necessary to maintain adequate organ and tissue perfusion.

Question 14

Orthostatic Hypotension

Answer 14

Drop in blood pressure from sitting to standing, typically decrease of 20 mm Hg systolic and 10 mmHg diastolic with an increase in pulse; can be caused by dehydration, medications and prolonged bedrest.

Question 15

Korotkoff Sounds

Answer 15

Sounds heard when assessing blood pressure reading described by a Russian surgeon in 1905. First Korotkoff sound = systolic pressure; Last Korotkoff sound = diastolic sound

Question 16

Pulse

Answer 16

Stroke volume causes pressure wave which is felt in the periphery as a pulse. Normal resting heart rate for 95% of healthy adult individuals is 50– 95 beats/minute.

acts as indirect assessment of CO

Question 17

Tachycardia

Answer 17

Generally, rapid heart rate typically defined as greater than 100 beats/minute for adults (American Heart Association)

Question 18

Bradycardia

Answer 18

Generally, slow heart rate typically defined as less than 60 beats/minute for adults (American Heart Association). May be normal in some patients.

Question 19

Apical Impulse

Answer 19

Refers to the apex of the heart; not considered a peripheral pulse. Found at (5) ICS, (L) MCL

Question 20

Cardiac Output (CO)

Answer 20

Amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle in one minute. Typically ~ 4 – 6 liters/minute.
CO=SV X HR where SV = Stroke Volume, and HR = pulse

Question 21

Dysrhythmia/dysrhythmia

Answer 21

Any deviation from normal rhythm of the heart

Question 22

Stroke Volume

Answer 22

Amount of blood pumped with each contraction of the left ventricle. Typically ~ 70 ml.

Question 23

Tachypnea

Answer 23

Rapid respiratory rate greater than 24 breaths/minute

Question 24

Bradypnea

Answer 24

Slow respiratory rate less than 10 breaths/minute

Question 25

Apnea

Answer 25

Temporary cessation of breathing

Question 26

Orthopnea

Answer 26

Difficulty breathing when supine

Question 27

Dyspnea

Answer 27

Subjective feeling of shortness of breath

Question 28

Hyperventilation

Answer 28

Increased rate and depth of breathing

Question 29

Hypoventilation

Answer 29

Shallow breathing

Question 30

Stages of fever

Answer 30

cold is the resetting from the toxins from bacteria/virus

hot stage is plateau

defervescence is return to baseline

Question 31

Cheyne-Stokes

Answer 31

Cheyne-Stokes respirations are a rare abnormal breathing pattern that can occur while awake but usually occurs during sleep. The pattern involves a period of fast, shallow breathing followed by slow, heavier breathing and moments without any breath at all, called apneas.

common in TBIs

Question 32

Kussmaul

Answer 32

fast, deep breaths that occur in response to metabolic acidosis

happen when the body tries to remove carbon dioxide, an acid, from the body by quickly breathing it out

DKA is the most common cause