The pulse on the left side of the chest, just below the nipple
Apical Pulse
The absence of breathing; may be temporary
Apnea
The abbreviation for “beats per minute”
BPM
The pulse inside the elbow; used to measure the blood pressure
Brachial pulse
A slow heart rate; under 60 beats per minute
Bradycardia
The centigrade temperature scale in which the boiling point of water is 100 degrees and freezing point of water is 0 degrees
Celsius
Type of respiration with periods of apnea lasting at least 10 seconds, along with alternation periods of slow, irregular respiration or rapid, shallow respiration
Cheyne-Stokes respiration
Second measurement of blood pressure; phase when the heart relaxes
Diastolic
To widen
Dilate
Difficulty in breathing
Dyspnea
Normal respirations
Eupnea
The process of exhaling air out of the lungs
Expirations
A temperature scale where the boiling point of water is 212 degrees and the freezing point of water is 32 degrees
Fahrenheit
High blood pressure
Hypertension
Low blood pressure
Hypotension
A condition in which body temperature drops below the level required for normal functioning; severe sub-normal body temperature
Hypothermia
The process of inhaling air into the lungs
Inspiration
Shortness of breath when lying down that is relieved by sitting up
Orthopnea
A sudden drop in blood pressure that occurs when a person stand up; also called postural hypotension
Orthostatic Hypotension
A condition in which a person has a systolic
measurement of 120–139 mm Hg and a diastolic measurement of 80-89mm HG; indicator that the person does not have high blood pressure now but is likely to have it in the future
Prehypertension
The pulse on the inside of the wrist, when the radial artery runs just beneath the skin
Radial pulse
The process of inhaling air into the lungs (inspiration) and exhaling air out of the lungs (expiration)
Respiration
A device that measures blood pressure
Sphygmomanometer
An instrument used to hear sounds in the human body, such as the heart beat or pulse, breathing sounds, or bowel sounds
Stethoscope
First measurement of blood pressure; phase when the heart is at work, contracting and pushing blood out
of the left ventricle
Systolic
A fast heartbeat, over 100 beats per minute
Tachycardia
Rapid respirations
Tachypnea
A device used for measuring the degree of heat or cold
Thermometer
Measurement that monitor the function of the vital organs of the body