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Clinical Skills > Vital Signs > Flashcards

Vital Signs Flashcards

1
Q

What are “vital signs”?

A

Vital signs are measurements of the body’s most basic functions. The four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and health care providers include the following:

  1. Pulse
  2. Temperature
  3. Respiration rate
  4. Blood Pressure
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2
Q

Why use vital signs?

A
  • Vital signs are used to measure the body’s basic functions.
  • These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person, give clues to possible diseases, and show progress toward recovery.
  • The normal ranges for a person’s vital signs vary with age, weight, gender, and overall health.
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3
Q

What does the pulse rate indicate?

A

Pulse rate is a key indicator of cardiovascular function.

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4
Q

What does temperature indicate?

A

Temperature reflects inflammation or infection.

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5
Q

What does the respiration rate indicate?

A

Respiration rate is a key indicator of pulmonary function.

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6
Q

What does blood pressure indicate?

A

Blood Pressure is another key indicator of cardiovascular function.

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7
Q

What does the pulse rate measure?

A

Pulse rate measures the surge of arterial blood that occurs with each contraction of the heart muscle.

  • Primarily indicates the force, rate, and rhythm of the heartbeat
  • Also measures the quality of peripheral vascular perfusion
  • Can be taken at a variety of locations
  • radial artery
  • temporal artery
  • carotid artery
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8
Q

How is pulse measurement characterized?

A
  1. Rate (number of pulses per minute)
  2. Rhythm
  3. Force
  4. Quality
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9
Q

What is a normal pulse rate?

A

Normal is generally considered 60-100 beats per minute.

Variation in normal rates (e.g. exercise and athletes)

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10
Q

What are the names of abnormal pulse rates and what do they mean?

A

Abnormal pulse rates:
Tachycardia = too fast
Bradycardia = too slow

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11
Q

What causes tachycardia?

A
  1. Inflammation
    • Fever: for every 1° increase ≈ ↑ten beats per minute
  2. Sympathetic stimulation or Parasympathetic inhibition
    • Fight-or-flight reaction
    • Systemic diseases (anemia, hyperthyroidism, tumors…)
  3. Medications
    • Systemic: anti-depressants, diet pills, asthma meds, Ritalin…
    • Ocular: phenylephrine, cyclopentolate…
  4. Cardiac abnormalities (MI, CHF, atrial fibrillation)
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12
Q

What causes bradycardia?

A
  1. Parasympathetic stimulation or Sympathetic inhibition
    • Systemic diseases; hypothyroidism, etc.
  2. Medications
    • Ocular: Pilocarpine, β-blockers (Timolol, etc.)
  3. Cardiac abnormalities
    • various types of heart block
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13
Q

What should rhythm be like in a pulse?

A

Rhythm should be regular (occurring at set intervals)
• occasional premature beats are normal (appears to “skip a beat”).
• frequent dysrhythmia requires investigation

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14
Q

What should the pulse’s force be like?

A

Force should be fairly consistent without significant variation (as may occur with CHF, etc.)

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15
Q

What should the quality be like in a pulse?

A

Quality should not be abnormally weak (difficult to detect).

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16
Q

What does blood pressure measure?

A

Measures vascular pressure during heartbeat and between heartbeats.

17
Q

What does systolic and diastolic mean?

A

Systolic pressure = higher P during heartbeat

Diastolic pressure = lower P when heart at rest

18
Q

Why should optometrists be concerned about blood pressure?

A

• High blood pressure (or hypertension) is known as the “silent killer” because it often has no symptoms.
• Patients may not go to other doctors if they feel well.
• Untreated hypertension may lead to:
Stroke
Heart attack
Kidney problems
Death
• Hypertension can be the cause of visual symptoms and/or ocular problems (including blindness)

19
Q

What is normal blood pressure?

A

Under 120 and under 80

20
Q

What are the steps to measure blood pressure?

A
  • Allow patient to sit quietly before measuring
  • Place cuff of appropriate size around bared upper arm and inflate
  • Slowly deflate cuff while using stethoscope on brachial artery in antecubital space to listen for appearance/disappearance of sounds
  • Remember, a single high reading does not diagnose high blood pressure (hypertension)!
21
Q

What do we do about abnormal readings?

A
  • Re-check any abnormal finding • Prehypertension may be referred to PCP or re-evaluated within a month or two.
  • Hypertension should be referred appropriately:
  • Stage 1 should be referred to PCP within a month.
  • Stage 2 should be referred immediately (PCP, cardiologist, or ER).
  • Hypertensive crisis is an emergency (call 911 or ER and arrange transport via ambulance).
22
Q

What is respiration?

A

Refers to breathing: inspiration & expiration = one respiratory cycle.

23
Q

What is the normal respiration rate?

A

Normal rate for adults is 12-18 breaths per minute.

24
Q

How is respiration quality assessed?

A
  • Quality can also be assessed:
  • should be easy & regular
  • labored & irregular is abnormal; Dyspnea = “shortness or breath”
  • Abnormalities in rate or quality may indicate systemic health problems
  • Not routinely measured in OD offices, but may have implications for eye care (e.g., which glaucoma meds to avoid in patients with COPD)
25
Q

What is normal body temperature in an adult?

A

Normal for adults is 97.8 - 99 degrees F (or Fahrenheit)

26
Q

What are two types of temperature abnormalities?

A

Body temperature may be abnormal due to fever (high temperature) or hypothermia (low temperature).

27
Q

What is a fever?

A

A fever is when body temperature rises about one degree or more over the normal temperature of 98.6 degrees F (according to the American Academy of Family Physicians).

28
Q

What is hypothermia?

A

Hypothermia is defined as a drop in body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

29
Q

Temperature is not routinely measured in OD offices, but may have implications for eye care such as _____.

A

(e.g., differentiating the cause of a red eye)

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