BIO 1

• Vital signs


  • Body Temperature
  • Pulse Rate
  • Respiration Rate
  • Blood Pressure
• Vital signs


  Measurements of the body's most basic functions
• The four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and health care providers include body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure
• Body temperature


  The normal body temperature of a person varies depending on gender, recent activity, food and fluid consumption, time of day, and, in women, the stage of the menstrual cycle
• Normal body temperature can range from 97.8 degrees F (or Fahrenheit, equivalent to 36.5 degrees C, or Celsius) to 99 degrees F (37.2 degrees C) for a healthy adult
• Ways to measure body temperature

  • Orally
  • Rectally
  • Axillary
  • By ear
  • By skin
• Temperatures taken rectally tend to be 0.5 to 0.7 degrees F higher than when taken by mouth, and temperatures taken under the arm tend to be 0.3 to 0.4 degrees F lower than those taken by mouth
• Body temperature may be abnormal due to

  Fever (high temperature) or hypothermia (low temperature)
• A fever is indicated when body temperature rises about one degree or more over the normal temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and hypothermia is defined as a drop in body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit
• Pulse rate


  The measurement of the heart rate, or the number of times the heart beats per minute
• The normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute, and the pulse rate may fluctuate and increase with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions
• Pulse


  • It can indicate heart rhythm and strength of the pulse
• How to check your pulse

  1. Using the first and second fingertips, press firmly but gently on the arteries until you feel a pulse

  2. Begin counting the pulse when the clock's second hand is on the 12

  3. Count your pulse for 60 seconds (or for 15 seconds and then multiply by four to calculate beats per minute)

  4. If unsure about your results, ask another person to count for you
• Respiration rate

  The number of breaths a person takes per minute
• Normal respiration rates for an adult person at rest range from 12 to 16 breaths per minute
• Blood pressure


  The force of the blood pushing against the artery walls during contraction and relaxation of the heart
• Blood pressure categories


  • Normal (systolic less than 120, diastolic less than 80)
  • Elevated (systolic 120 to 129, diastolic less than 80)
  • Stage 1 high (systolic 130 to 139, diastolic 80 to 89)
  • Stage 2 high (systolic 140 or higher, diastolic 90 or higher)
• Before you measure your blood pressure

  1. Don't smoke or drink coffee for 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure

  2. Go to the bathroom before the test

  3. Relax for 5 minutes before taking the measurement

  4. Sit with your back supported, feet on the floor uncrossed, and arm at heart level

  5. Take multiple readings one minute apart and record all the results

  6. Take your blood pressure at the same time every day, or as your healthcare provider recommends

  7. Record the date, time, and blood pressure reading

  8. Call your provider if you have several high readings

  9. Seek emergency medical treatment if blood pressure reaches a systolic of 180 or higher or diastolic of 110 or higher
• Blood pressure


  The pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries
• Arteries


  Carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body
• Systolic blood pressure


  The first number, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
• Diastolic blood pressure


  The second number, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats
• Normal blood pressure level

  Less than 120/80 mmHg
• High blood pressure


  Blood pressure that is higher than normal
• Blood Pressure Levels (2003 Guideline)


  • Normal: systolic less than 120 mm Hg, diastolic less than 80 mm Hg
  • At Risk (prehypertension): systolic 120–139 mm Hg, diastolic 80–89 mm Hg
  • High Blood Pressure (hypertension): systolic 140 mm Hg or higher, diastolic 90 mm Hg or higher
• Blood Pressure Levels (2017 Guideline)

  • Normal: systolic less than 120 mm Hg, diastolic less than 80 mm Hg
  • Elevated: systolic 120–129 mm Hg, diastolic less than 80 mm Hg
  • High blood pressure (hypertension): systolic 130 mm Hg or higher, diastolic 80 mm Hg or higher
• "White coat syndrome" is a spike in BP that occurs from fear or anxiety when BP is taken in a clinical setting, which can lead to overtreatment
• "Masked hypertension" is when BP is lower in the clinic than it is at home, which can lead to undertreatment of blood pressure
• Manual Blood Pressure Monitors

  • Includes a cuff, an attached pump, a stethoscope and a gauge that measures the blood pressure
  • A stethoscope is needed to listen to the blood pulsing through the artery
• Taking BP Procedure


  1. Place the cuff on your bare upper arm one inch above the bend of your elbow

  2. Pull the end of the cuff so that it's evenly tight around your arm

  3. Place the disk of the stethoscope facedown under the cuff, just to the inner side of your upper arm

  4. Place the stethoscope earpieces in your ears, with the earpieces facing forward, pointing toward the tip of your nose

  5. Squeeze the pump rapidly with your opposite hand until the gauge reads 30 points above your usual systolic pressure

  6. Let the pressure fall 2 millimeters, or lines on the dial, per second while listening for your heart sounds

  7. Note the reading when you first hear a heartbeat, this is your systolic pressure

  8. Note when you no longer hear the beating sounds, this is your diastolic pressure

  9. Rest quietly and wait about one to two minutes before taking another measurement
• Do not take your blood pressure when you are under stress, have had caffeine or used a tobacco product in the last 30 minutes, or have recently exercised
• Take at least 2 readings 1 minute apart in the morning before taking medicines and in evening before eating supper. Try to measure and record BP daily for 5 days and then report your results to your provider
• Angela Price, M.D.: 'While hypertension is not generally curable, the good news is that it's a risk factor that can be modified. In other words, treating hypertension can prevent complications and allow a person to live a longer, healthier life.'