Vital Signs Vocab

Question 1

afebrile

Answer 1

a condition in which the body temperature is not elevated

Question 2

apnea

Answer 2

absence of breathing

Question 3

auscultatory gap

Answer 3

period of diminished or absent Korotkoff sounds; it occurs during the manual measurement of blood pressure in the latter part of phase I and during phase II

Question 4

blood pressure

Answer 4

force of blood against arterial walls

Question 5

bradycardia

Answer 5

slow heart rate

Question 6

bradypnea

Answer 6

slow rate of breathing

Question 7

diastolic pressure

Answer 7

least amount of pressure exerted on arterial walls, which occurs when the heart is at rest between ventricular contractions

Question 8

dyspnea

Answer 8

difficult or labored breathing

Question 9

dysrhythmia

Answer 9

an abnormal cardiac rhythm

Question 10

eupnea

Answer 10

normal respirations

Question 11

febrile

Answer 11

condition in which the body temperature is elevated

Question 12

fever

Answer 12

elevation above the upper limit of normal body temperature; synonym for pyrexia

Question 13

hypertension

Answer 13

blood pressure elevated above the upper limit of normal

Question 14

hyperthermia

Answer 14

high body temperature

Question 15

hypotension

Answer 15

blood pressure below the lower limit of normal

Question 16

hypothermia

Answer 16

low body temperature

Question 17

Korotkoff sounds

Answer 17

series of sounds that correspond to changes in blood flow through an artery as pressure is released

Question 18

orthopnea

Answer 18

pe of dyspnea in which breathing is easier when the patient sits or stands

Question 19

orthostatic hypotension

Answer 19

temporary fall in blood pressure associated with assuming an upright position; synonym for postural hypotension

Question 20

pulse

Answer 20

wave produced in the wall of an artery with each beat of the heart

Question 21

pulse deficit

Answer 21

difference between the apical and radial pulse rates

Question 22

pulse pressure

Answer 22

difference between systolic and diastolic pressures

Question 23

pyrexia

Answer 23

elevation above the upper limit of normal body temperature; synonym for fever

Question 24

respirations

Answer 24

gas exchange between the atmospheric air in the alveoli and blood in the capillaries

Question 25

systolic pressure

Answer 25

highest point of pressure on arterial walls when the ventricles contract

Question 26

tachycardia

Answer 26

rapid heart rate

Question 27

tachypnea

Answer 27

rapid rate of breathing

Question 28

temperature

Answer 28

refers to the hotness or coldness of a substance

Question 29

vital signs

Answer 29

body temperature, pulse and respiratory rates, and blood pressure; synonym for cardinal signs