Signs we are ALIVE Vital Signs

What are Vital signs? Measures of the body’s most basic functions Heart Rate Blood Pressure Temperature Respiration Rate These measures help assess the basic physiological state of the body – provides a baseline for comparison When they’re not zero = person alive

All vital signs can be … Observed, Measured, and Monitored Normal ranges of vital signs change with AGE and MEDICAL CONDITIONS Our bodies are always trying to maintain HOMEOSTASIS – a constancy in the internal environment of the body, naturally maintained by adaptive responses that promote healthy survival. Ex: sweating to cool body temperature

Vital Signs Body Temperature Respiratory Rate Pulse / Heart Rate Blood Pressure

Body Temperature The human body has an ideal temperature, and it works to maintain it, this is called: THERMOREGULATION Measurement: oral, axillary, tympanic, rectal

Respiratory Rate Respiratory System delivers oxygen to the body’s tissues & eliminates carbon dioxide. Major muscle of ventilation: diaphragm Measured in “breaths per minute” Adults: 12 – 20 bpm Children: 20 – 30 bpm Newborns: 30 – 60 bpm

Other factors affecting respiration Pain, anxiety, exercise Trauma, infection, medication Respiratory and cardiovascular disease Alteration in fluid, electrolyte and Acid-base balances Increase in blood CO2 is most powerful respiratory stimulant

Measuring respiration rate Through observation – one full inspiration and expiration (don’t tell them when you’re counting) Normal adult 12-20 bpm Tachypnea = respiration >20 bpm Bradypnea = respiration < 10 bpm Apnea = absence of breathing Dyspnea = difficulty breathing

Pulse Oximeter Measures oxygen level in blood Normal PulseOximeter = 95% to 100%

Pulse Pulse rate: Adult = 60 to 100 beats per minute Children under 10 = 70 to 120 beats per minute Tachycardia – rapid pulse (>100 bpm) Bradycardia- low pulse (<60 bpm)

Factors contributing to increased pulse rate Pain, fever, stress, exercise Bleeding, decrease in BP, some medications like adrenalin (epi-pen) Factors contributing to decreased pulse rate Age, rest, thin body size some medications like Beta-blockers (also help lower BP)

Blood Pressure Measure of the force exerted by blood on the arterial walls during contraction & relaxation. Measured pressure when the heart is relaxed: Diastolic Measured pressure when the heart is contracted: Systolic Measured with a Sphygmomanometer

Blood Pressure cont’d Recorded in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) with systolic over diastolic Normal adult systolic: 95-140 mm Hg Normal adult diastolic: 60-90 mm Hg Hypertension = high blood pressure (age, obesity, exercise, emotions, food intake, Hypotension = low blood pressure

Blood Pressure Systolic pressure = 95-140 mmHg Diastolic pressure = 60-90 mmHg 120/ 80 Normal