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vital signs
outward signs of what is going on inside the body, including respiration, pulse; skin color, temperature, and condition (plus capillary refill in infants & children); pupils; and blood pressure
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pulse
rhythmic beats felt as the heart pumps blood through the arteries.
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pulse rate
the number of pulse beats per minute.
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tachycardia
a rapid pulse; any pulse rate above 100 beats per minute.
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bradycardia
a slow pulse; any pulse rate below 60 beats per minute.
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pulse quality
the rhythm (regular or irregular) and force (strong or weak) of the pulse.
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radial pulse
the pulse felt at the wrist.
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brachial pulse
the pulse felt in the upper arm.
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carotid pulse
the pulse felt along the large carotid artery on either side of the neck.
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respiration
the act of breathing in and breathing out.
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respiratory rate
number of breaths taken in 1 minute.
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respiratory quality
the normal or abnormal (shallow, labored, or noisy) character of breathing.
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respiratory rhythm
the regular or irregular spacing of breaths.
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reactivity
in the pupils of the eyes, reacting to light by changing size.
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blood pressure
the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels.
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systolic blood pressure
the pressure created when the heart contracts and forces blood out into the arteries.
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diastolic blood pressure
the pressure remaining in the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is relaxed and refilling.
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sphygmomanometer
the cuff & gauge used to measure blood.
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brachial artery
the major artery of the arm.
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ausculation
listening. A stethoscope is used to ausculate for characteristic sounds.
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palpation
touching or feeling. A pulse of blood pressure may be palpated with the fingertips.
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blood pressure monitor
machine that automatically inflates a blood pressure cuff and measures blood pressure.
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pulse oximeter
an electronic device for determining the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, know as the oxygen saturation or SpO2.
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oxygen saturation
the ratio of the amount of oxygen present in the blood to the amount that could be carried, expressed as a percentage.
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sign
an indication of a patient's condition that is objective, or can be observed by another person; an indication that can be seen, heard, smelled, or felt by the EMT or others.
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symptom
an indication of a patient's condition that cannot be observed by another person but rather subjective, or felt and reported by the patient.
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SAMPLE history
the present & past medical history of the patient, so called because the elements of the history begin with the latter of the word sample: signs/symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, events leading to the injury or illness.
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