Vital signs

Question 1

small, weak pulses indicate

Answer 1

hypovolemia
aortic stenosis
cold
CHF

Question 2

large, bounding pulses indicate

Answer 2

fever
anemia
hyperthyroidism
PDA
heart block
atherosclerosis (hardened vessels)

Question 3

pulsus alternans

Answer 3

varies in amplitude from beat to beat
indicates LV failure
associated with S3 (added sound)

Question 4

bigeminal pulse

Answer 4

normal-premature-normal-premature

Question 5

paradoxical pulse

Answer 5

decreases with inspiration
indicates pericardial tamponade (fluid in the pericardium)
obstructive lung disease
constrictive pericarditis (tissue around the heart turns heart)

Question 6

carotid pulse

Answer 6

neck (considered a central pulse)

Question 7

radial pulse

Answer 7

proximal to thumb ventral wrist

Question 8

brachial pulse

Answer 8

antecubital fossa, medial to biceps tendon

Question 9

femoral pulse

Answer 9

in groin, just medial to quadriceps

Question 10

popliteal pulse

Answer 10

middle of popliteal fossa, knee flexed 30 degrees

Question 11

posterior tibial pulse

Answer 11

posterior to medial malleolus in ankle (diminished in peripheral vascualr disease)

Question 12

dorsalis pedis pulse

Answer 12

dorsal foot, lateral extensor hallucis longus (diminished in peripheral vascular disease)

Question 13

normal adult pulse

Answer 13

60-100

Question 14

normal newborn pulse

Answer 14

120-170

Question 15

normal 1 yr old pulse

Answer 15

80-160

Question 16

normal 3 yr old pulse

Answer 16

80-120

Question 17

normal 6 yr old pulse

Answer 17

75-115

Question 18

normal 10 yr old pulse

Answer 18

70-110

Question 19

normal adult RR

Answer 19

12-20

Question 20

normal newborn RR

Answer 20

30-80

Question 21

normal 1 yr old RR

Answer 21

20-40

Question 22

normal 3 yr old RR

Answer 22

20-30

Question 23

normal 6 yr old RR

Answer 23

16-22

Question 24

bradypnea

Answer 24

rate under 12, coma, medications, deep sleep

Question 25

tachypnea

Answer 25

rate over 20, anxiety, heart or lung disease, pain, fever

Question 26

hyperpnea

Answer 26

rate over 20 and deep, exercise, anxiety, metabolic acidosis

Question 27

sighing

Answer 27

normal if occasional, anxiety if frequent

Question 28

cheyne-stokes (agnol breathing)

Answer 28

rapid, staggering breaths, drugs, CNS damage

Question 29

Kussmaul

Answer 29

rapid, deep, labored, usually seen in diabetic ketoacidosis (hard experitory effort)

Question 30

stridor

Answer 30

harsh, high-pitched inspiration !!!airway obstruction

Question 31

normal day time temperature

Answer 31

37 C (98.6 F)

Question 32

normal early AM temp

Answer 32

35.8 C (96.4 F)

Question 33

normal late PM temp

Answer 33

37.3 C (99.1 F)

Question 34

pyrexia

Answer 34

fever

greater than 38 C (100.5 F)

Question 35

causes of pyrexia

Answer 35

excessive heat exposure and heat stroke

elevation of the hypothalamic thermoregulatory set point

Question 36

hyperpyrexia

Answer 36

extreme elevation in temperature ( >41.1 C or 106 F)

Question 37

hypothermia

Answer 37

extreme low temp (<35 C or 95F) rectally

Question 38

normal capillary refill

Answer 38

< 3 seconds

Question 39

abnormal capillary refill indicates

Answer 39

peripheral vascular disease
arterial blockage
heart failure
hypoperfusion
shock

Question 40

normal pulse ox

Answer 40

> 96%