Ch 16 Terminology – Vital Signs
Apical pulse- Pulse taken with a stethoscope and near the apex of the heart.
Apnea - Absence of respirations; temporary cessation of respirations.
Arrhythmia- Irregular or abnormal rhythm, usually referring to the heart rhythm.
Aural temperature- Measurement of body temperature at the tympanic membrane in the ear.
Axillary temperature – Temperature taken in the armpit
Blood pressure- Measurement of the force exerted by the heart against the arterial walls when the heart
contracts (beats) and relaxes.
Bradycardia- Slow heart rate, usually below 60 beats per minute.
Bradypnea- Slow respiratory rate, usually below 10 respirations per minute.
Character- The quality of respirations (for example, deep, shallow, or labored).
Cheyne-Stokes respirations- periods of difficult breathing (dyspnes) followed by periods of no respiration
(apnea)
Dyspnea- Difficult or labored breathing.
Fever- Elevated body temperature, usually above 101ºF, or 38.3ºC, rectally.
Homeostasis – A constant state of natural balance within the body
Hypertension – High blood pressure
Hyperthermia – Condition that occurs when body temperature exceeds 104ºF (40ºC)
Hypotension - Low blood pressure.
Hypothermia- Condition in which body temperature is below normal, usually below 95ºF (35ºC) and often in
the range of 78ºF-95ºF (26ºC-35ºC).
Oral temperature–temperature taken in the mouth
Orthopnea – severe dyspnea in which breathing is very difficult in any position other than sitting erect or
standing
Pulse- Pressure of the blood felt against the wall of an artery as the heart contracts or beats.
Pulse deficit- The difference between the rate of an apical pulse and the rate of a radial pulse.
Pulse pressure- The difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Pyrexia- Fever.
Rate- number per minute, as with pulse and respiration counts.
Rectal temperature – temperature taken in the rectum
Respirations – the process of taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide
Rhythm- Referring to regularity; regular or irregular.
Sphygmomanometer(sfig-moh-ma-nam-eh-ter) - Instrument calibrated for measuring blood pressure in
millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Stethoscope- Instrument used for listening to internal body sounds.
Systolic – pressure occurring in the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is contracting and
pushing blood into the arteries
Tachycardia- Fast, or rapid, heartbeat (usually more than 100 beats per minute in an adult).
Tachypnea – Fast, or rapid breathing (usually more than 25 respirations per minute)
Temperature- The measurement of the balance between heat lost and heat produced by the body.
Temporal temperature- Measurement of body temperature at the temporal artery on the forehead.
Tympanic thermometer- electronic thermometers that record the aural temperature in the ear.
Vital signs- determinations that provide information about body conditions; include temperature, pulse,
respirations, and blood pressure.
Volume- The degree of strength of a pulse (for example, strong or weak).
Wheezing – difficult breathing with a high-pitched whistling or sighing sound during expiration.