Vital Signs
The vital signs include the heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and temperature. Along
with height and weight, the vital signs provide important screening and diagnostic information as
well as monitoring data for assessment of short-term and long-term response to medication
therapy.
TECHNIQUES
Arterial Pulse
― The normal heart rate is approximately 60 to
100 beats/min with normal strength and
regular beats.
― Bradycardia, a slow heart rate (<60
beats/min), is caused by medications such
as betaadrenergic blocking drugs and
digoxin and by sinus node or atrioventricular
(AV) node dysfunction.
― Tachycardia, a fast heart rate (>100
beats/min), is caused by anxiety, volume
depletion, fever, exercise, and inotropic
drugs such as epinephrine and dobutamine.
Respiration
― The normal respiratory rate is 12 to 20
breaths/min.
― Tachypnea, a fast respiratory rate
(>20breaths/min), is caused by pain,
anxiety, exercise, and respiratory failure.
― Bradypnea, a slow respiratory rate (<12
breaths/min), is caused by medications
such as narcotics and medical conditions
associated with elevated carbon dioxide
levels.
― Kussmaul’s respiration, abnormally fast
and deep breathing associated with
metabolic acidosis.
Blood Pressure
Normal blood pressure is defined as an SBP of less
than 120 mm Hg and a DBP of less than 80mm Hg
Temperature
― Body temperature is used to screen for
illness and to monitor patient response to
drug therapy.
― The measured temperature varies
depending on where the body temperature
is measured (oral cavity, rectum tympanic
membrane, axilla, ear, temporal artery,
central line, bladder)
― the device used to measure the temperature
(oral thermometer, temperature-sensitive
crystal, thermal scanner, thermistor on
pulmonary artery catheter, etc.)
Height and Body Weight
The patient’s height and body weight are
not considered vital signs but are useful
screening and monitoring parameters and
are components of the body mass index
(BMI)
MEDICAL TEST
― is a kind of medical procedure performed to:
Types of medical tests:
1) Screening – used to detect or predict the
presence of disease in individuals at risk for
disease within a defined group, such as a
population, family, or workforce.
New Born Screening
(TSH)
2) Diagnostic – to confirm, or determine the
presence of disease in an individual suspected
of having the disease, usually following the
report of symptoms, or based on the results of
other medical tests.
Electrocardiogram
3) Evaluation – to know the progress or response
to therapy or to know the prognosis (course of
the disease)
Biopsy
HEALTH CARE SETTINGS THREE BASIC FOOD GROUPS:

Body building foods -

GROW

e.g. CHON, Iodine, Iron

Energy giving foods -GO

e.g. Camote, corn, bread,

butter

Body regulating foods -

GLOW

e.g. Green leafy vegetables

MAJOR NUTRIENTS include:

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER 1. Macronutrients such as CHON (protein), CHO
(carbohydrate), fats
― Are trained professional people working
self-employed or as an employee in an 2. Micronutrients such as vitamins and
organization, whether a for-profit company, Minerals
a not-for profit company, a government
entity, or a charity.
MACRONUTRIENTS

MICRONUTRIENTS

― are organic compounds essential in the diet for

normal growth and maintenance of life.

NUTRITION
IMPORTANT VITAMINS
✓ A.k.a. nourishment or aliment
✓ is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the
materials necessary (in the form of food) to
support life

DIET

― what human eats, and is largely determined by

the perceived palatability of foods

NUTRIENTS

― is a chemical that an organism needs to live and

grow or a substance used in an organism's
metabolism which must be taken in from its
environment