Vital Signs and Body Temperature Quiz

Study Notes

Vital signs are physical indicators of life, used to monitor bodily functions.
Examples include heartbeat (pulse), breathing rate (respiration), body temperature, and blood pressure.
Factors influencing vital signs include age, sex, weight, environment, and hereditary factors.
Vital signs are assessed at various times, such as admission to healthcare facilities, when a patient's health status changes, and before/after significant procedures or interventions.

Body temperature is the degree of heat maintained by the body.
It's balanced between heat production and loss to the environment.
Hypothalamus, in the central nervous system, regulates body temperature.
Normal human body temperature ranges from 36°C to 37.5°C.
Commonly measured in oral, axillary, and rectal sites.
Contraindications for oral temperature measurement include infants, children, those with mouth inflammation/surgery, frequent coughing, those with breathing problems, very old/weak patients, and those who have recently consumed hot or cold fluids.

Factors affecting body temperature include physical factors (environment, clothing, ingestion of hot food), chemical factors (metabolism of food), and nervous system control (hypothalamus).
Body heat is lost through skin, lungs, and excretion (digestive and urinary tracts). About 85% of heat loss occurs through skin.
Ways heat loss occurs include radiation, convection, conduction, and evaporation (perspiration).

Factors increasing heat production are muscular activity (shivering, exercise), ingestion of food, time of day (peak in late afternoon/early evening), emotions (epinephrine/norepinephrine release), hormones (thyroid gland activity), and infections.
Factors decreasing heat production are prolonged illnesses, fasting, depression of nervous system, mental depression, unconsciousness, use of narcotics, time of day (lowest in the morning), and age (greater variability in younger individuals).

Fever is an abnormal elevation of body temperature above the normal range.
Types of fever include low-grade (37.3-38.3°C), moderate (38.3-39.3°C), high-grade (39.3-40.5°C), and hyperpyrexia (above 40.6°C).
Causes include damage to the heat-regulating center, acute infectious diseases (like malaria), and other conditions impacting metabolic rate.

Measures to reduce body temperature include promoting rest and inactivity, using cool water and alcohol solutions applied to the skin to enhance evaporation, utilizing cool compresses on the body surfaces to facilitate heat loss, establishing a cool environment, forcing fluids in small quantities, and using antipyretic drugs (as advised by a doctor).

Hypothermia is a condition characterized by an abnormally low body temperature.
Causes include lowered metabolism, circulatory failure, decreased activity (particularly in the elderly), exposure to extreme cold, and drowning/exposure to snow.
Symptoms include pale/cyanotic skin, cold extremities, chilling, drowsiness, slow pulse/respiration, decreased physical/mental capabilities, and possible coma.
Nursing care for hypothermia focuses on increasing physical activity, warming the body (with caution), and providing warm fluids.

Respiration involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and its environment.
Normal respiratory rates in adults are 16-20 breaths per minute.
Respiratory patterns include eupnea (normal), apnea (temporary cessation), dyspnea (difficulty breathing), and hyperpnea (increased rate/depth).
Factors that influence respiration include age (rapid in infancy), sex (females generally faster), exercise, emotions, and certain medications (such as morphine).
Symptoms related to respiration may include cyanosis, air hunger, shallow breathing, and deep breathing.

Pulse is the wave-like sensation felt in peripheral arteries due to blood flow.
Pulse is measured via palpation/auscultation (use of a stethoscope).
A normal resting heart rate in adults is 60-100 beats per minute.
Factors influencing pulse rate include medications, emotions, pain, posture, and exercise.
Tachycardia (fast pulse) can be observed in situations like pain, excitement, infection, and injuries.
Bradycardia (slow pulse) is associated with conditions like rest, sleep, and some medications.

Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the walls of blood vessels.
It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Systolic pressure represents maximum pressure during contraction.
Diastolic pressure is minimum pressure during relaxation.
Normal blood pressure is typically 120/80 mmHg.