Vital Signs Definitions

Question 1

Blood pressure

Answer 1

Amount of force exerted by the blood against walls of an artery

Question 2

Bradycardia

Answer 2

Pertaining to slow heart rate, less than 60 bpm

Question 3

Tachycardia

Answer 3

Pertaining to fast heart rate, over 100 bpm

Question 4

Hypertension

Answer 4

High blood pressure

Question 5

Hypotension

Answer 5

Low blood pressure

Question 6

Apnea

Answer 6

Absence of breathing

Question 7

Eupnea

Answer 7

Normal breathing

Question 8

Dyspnea

Answer 8

Difficulty breathing

Question 9

Bradypnea

Answer 9

Abnormal slow breathing rate

Question 10

Orthopnea

Answer 10

shortness of breath while lying down that goes away when you stand or sit up

Question 11

Respiration

Answer 11

Act of inhaling and exhaling air in and out of the lungs

Question 12

Body temperature

Answer 12

Amount of body heat in the body that is a balance between amount of heat produced and amount lost in body

Question 13

Diastolic pressure

Answer 13

Pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest

Question 14

Systolic pressure

Answer 14

Amount of force it takes to pump blood out of the heart and into the arterial circulation

Question 15

Systole

Answer 15

The period of heart muscle contraction

Question 16

Diastole

Answer 16

Period of heart muscle relaxation

Question 17

Vital signs

Answer 17

Temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure

Question 18

Hyperventilation

Answer 18

Rapid respirations that are shallower than normal. Respirations may be more rapid and deeper

Question 19

Hypoventilation

Answer 19

Respiration that are slow, shallow ,irregular

Question 20

Cheyne Stokes (Common when death is near)

Answer 20

Respiration gradually increasing in rate and depth and then becoming shallow and slow, apnea may happen for 10-20s.

Question 21

Hypoxia

Answer 21

Deficiency of oxygen in cells

Question 22

Pulse oximeter

Answer 22

Device that measures oxygen concentration in the arterial blood

Question 23

Sp02

Answer 23

Short form of oxygen concentration value
S=saturation P=pulse 02=oxygen

Question 24

Sphygmomanometer

Answer 24

Instrument used to measure blood pressure

Question 25

Stethoscope

Answer 25

Instrument used to listen to sounds produced by the heart

Question 26

Homeostasis

Answer 26

A state of balance within the human body

Question 27

4 vital signs

Answer 27

Temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure

Question 28

Rate

Answer 28

Number of pulses per minute

Question 29

Does heart rate increase as we age?

Answer 29

No it decreases

Question 30

Rhythm

Answer 30

Regularity of the heart

Question 31

Arrythmia

Answer 31

An irregular pulse rate usually due to an uneven intervals in between beats

Question 32

Pulse

Answer 32

Indication of how well blood is flowing throughout the body

Question 33

Volume

Answer 33

Strength or pressure felt with each beat

Question 34

Bounding

Answer 34

Strong or forceful pulse

Question 35

Threading

Answer 35

Weak, barely felt pulse

Question 36

Pulse sites

Answer 36

when the artery is superficial (close to skin) enough to feel a pulse

Question 37

Pulse equality

Answer 37

Palpate to compare on both side of the body

Question 38

Counting a pulse

Answer 38

Rate of respiration is measured by counting 30 secs or 1 minute. (1 min is more accurate)

Question 39

Palpate

Answer 39

To feel

Question 40

Pulse Volume Scale

Answer 40

0-Absent, not palpable (no pulse 1-Diminished (weak) 2-EXPECTED, Easy to palpate (normal) 3-Full ( After exercise) 4-Bounding strong (visible)