Vital Signs

Question 1

What is the normal respiratory rate for patients? Are sighs normal? What should you keep an eye out for?

Answer 1

12-20 breaths per minute; occasional sigh is normal.

Keep an eye for prolonged expiration

Question 2

What is the normal range for heart rate?

Answer 2

50-90 BPM

Question 3

If I take a rectal temperature, how many degrees different than oral temperature do I expect it to be?

Answer 3

Higher than oral temperatures by an average of 0.4 to 0.5 degrees Celsius or 0.7 to 0.9 degrees F

Question 4

If I take an axillary temperature, how many degrees different than oral temperature do I expect it to be?

Answer 4

lower than oral temperatures by 1 degree.

Question 5

How do oral temperatures fluctuate?

Answer 5

Usually 37 degrees Celsius or 98.6 degrees F. In the early morning, it can fall to as low as 35.8 degrees C (96.4 degrees F) and in the late afternoon or early evening, it may rise as high as 37.3 degrees C or (99.1 degrees F)

Question 6

What is pyrexia?

Answer 6

Temperature greater than 98.6 Degrees F

Question 7

What is Hyperpyrexia?

Answer 7

Temperature greater than 106 degrees F

Question 8

What is Hypothermia?

Answer 8

Temperatures less than 95 degrees.

Question 9

What are the changes seen with orthostatic hypotension?

Answer 9

When a patient sits/stands up after laying down:
Systolic pressure drops more than 20 mmHg
Diastolic pressure drops more than 10 mmHg

Question 10

What are the causes of orthostatic hypotension?

Answer 10

Inadequate vasoconstrictor reflexes (decreased cadiac output and low blood pressure from neurpathic disorders or drugs and vasodilators)

Hypovolemia (diminished blood volume from bleeding)

Question 11

How do you check for orthostatic blood pressure changes?

Answer 11

Measure blood pressure and heart rate after patient has been supine for up to 10 minutes and then again within 3 minutes after the patient stands up.

Normally, the systolic pressure drops or remains unchanged while diastolic pressure rises slightly.

Question 12

What is white coat hypertension? How many people does this affect?

Answer 12

HTN > 140/90 mmHg

10-25% of patients.

Question 13

What is the significance of an auscultatory gap?

Answer 13

The asculatory gap, which is the silent interval between systolic and diastolic pressures, if unnoted, can lead to underestimation of systolic pressure or overestimation of diastolic pressure.

Question 14

What is the range for prehypertension?

Answer 14

Systolic: 120-139
Diastolic: 80-89

Question 15

What is the range for phase I hypertension and phase II hypertension?

Answer 15

Stage 1:
Systolic: 140-159
Diastolic: 90-99

Stage 2:
Systolic: >160
Diastolic: >100

Question 16

What is the effect of a loose cuff on BP readings?

Answer 16

flalsely low readings

Question 17

What is the effect of a tight cuff on BP readings?

Answer 17

falsely high readings.

Question 18

What is the importance of korotkoff sounds?

Answer 18

Korotkoff sounds are the sounds that are audible when taking BP and are indicative of the turbulent flow of blood measured.

Question 19

How do you calculate BMI?

Answer 19

Weight (lbs) x 700 / [height (in)]^2

OR

Weight (kg)/ [height (m)]^2

Question 20

A patient has a BMI of <18.5, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 20

underweight

Question 21

A patient has a BMI of 24.9, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 21

normal

Question 22

A patient has a BMI of 29.9, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 22

overweight

Question 23

A patient has a BMI of 34.9, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 23

Obese (I)

Question 24

A patient has a BMI of 39.9, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 24

Obese (II)

Question 25

A patient has a BMI of >40, are they underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese?

Answer 25

extremely obese