1. Chapter 13 Vital signs

2. 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

3. 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

4. Pulse 80 bpm 60 – 90 bpm is Arrhythmia Tachycardia Bradycardia Murmur
Average pulse rate
60 – 90 bpm is
average pulse range
Arrhythmia
Any type of irregular heart beat
Tachycardia
Fast resting heart rate
Bradycardia
Slow resting heart rate
Murmur
Skipping a beat
Extra beat

5. Respirations How many breaths are taken in a specific amount of time.
1 inhalation +
1 exhalation =
1 respiration
15 rpm average rate
average range
Tachypnea
Faster than normal resting respiration rate
> 20 rpm
Bradypnea
Slower than normal resting respiration rate
< 10 rpm

6. 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

7. Body temperature Hypothermic Hyperthermic Pt. has a ‘fever’
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

8. Blood pressure Indication of Pt.’s cardiovascular health.
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Hypotension
Low blood pressure
Average 80
Range
60-90
Recorded as mm Hg
Systolic pressure
Pressure w/ heart contracts / beats
Top / Upper #
Diastolic
Pressure w/ heart is relaxed / between beats
Bottom / lower #

9. Blood pressure Sphygmomanometer Aka blood pressure cuff
used to measure blood pressure
Compresses brachial artery
Used w/ a stethoscope to listen for heart sounds.

10. 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

11. Blood pressure Cuff is inflated Cuff is slowly deflated
20 mm Hg above average
Cuff is slowly deflated
1st heart beat sound
Systolic #
Last heart beat sound
diastolic #
Release all air from cuff + remove from arm.
Record readings

12. Putting them all together
Place thermometer in mouth.(1 min.)
Take pulse first 30 sec.
Take respirations second 30 sec.
Pretend to continue to take pulse
Take blood pressure
Record all vital signs in pt. chart
All should be completed within 2 – 3 min.

13. 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??????