Chapter 13
Vital signs
Vital Signs

Vital = alive

Not necessarily healthy


You can be alive and very
unhealthy
Signs = actions that
indicate someone is alive




Pulse
Respirations
Body temperature
Blood pressure

Baseline vital signs


1st set of vitals signs
Compare future readings
to.



Indicates you health has
gotten
Better
Poorer
Pulse

How fast the heart
beats in a specific
amount of time
 Radial
artery (wrist)
 Use fingers, not thumb
 Count the beats for


1 minute or
30 seconds and X 2
Pulse

80 bpm
 Average

 Any

type of irregular
heart beat

resting heart rate
Bradycardia
 Slow
pulse range
Arrhythmia
Tachycardia
 Fast
pulse rate
60 – 90 bpm is
 average


resting heart rate
Murmur
 Skipping
a beat
 Extra beat
Respirations




How many breaths
are taken in a specific
amount of time.
1 inhalation +
1 exhalation =
1 respiration
 15
rpm average rate
 12 -18 average range

Tachypnea
 Faster
than normal
resting respiration rate


> 20 rpm
Bradypnea
 Slower
than normal
resting respiration rate

< 10 rpm
Body Temperature

The temperature of the
body at rest.




Orally
Ear canal
Forehead
Rectal


Not used a lot in dentistry.
Whewww….
 Normal
average
body temperature.


98.6 ° Fahrenheit
37° Celsius
 Normal
body
temperature range.


96.0 – 99.5° Fahrenheit
35.5 – 37.5° Celsius
Body temperature

Hypothermic
Pt. has a lower than
normal body
temperature.
 Overexposure to
cold.
 Overdose of
antipyretic
medication


Hyperthermic
 Pt.
has a ‘fever’
 Higher than normal
body temperature
 Antipyretic



Anything that helps
reduce a fever
Aspirin
Cold packs
Blood pressure

Indication of Pt.’s
cardiovascular health.


Low blood pressure
120
80
 Range
100-140
60-90
Recorded as mm Hg

w/ heart
contracts / beats
 Top / Upper #
High blood pressure
Hypotension
Average
Systolic pressure
 Pressure
Hypertension




Diastolic
 Pressure
w/ heart is
relaxed / between
beats
 Bottom / lower #
Blood pressure
 Sphygmomanometer
Aka
blood pressure cuff
used to measure blood pressure
 Compresses
brachial artery
 Used w/ a stethoscope to listen for heart
sounds.
Blood pressure


Done after 5 min of pt.
being relaxed
Cuff place high on arm



Left arm preferred
Closer to heart
Stethoscope is place over
brachial artery

Antecubital space

Fold in arm above elbow
Blood pressure

Cuff is inflated



Cuff is slowly deflated
1st heart beat sound



Systolic #
Last heart beat sound


20 mm Hg above average
diastolic #
Release all air from cuff +
remove from arm.
Record readings
Putting them all together
1.
2.
3.
Place thermometer in mouth.(1 min.)
Take pulse first 30 sec.
Take respirations second 30 sec.
1.
4.
5.
6.
Pretend to continue to take pulse
Take blood pressure
Record all vital signs in pt. chart
All should be completed within 2 – 3 min.
Conclusion




Your ability to take accurate vital signs is very
important.
Dr’s make Tx and Rx decisions based on vital
signs.
You should be able to explain their importance
to your patients and how they relate to their over
all health.
Any questions??????