Clinical Attribute
vital sign
vi·tal sign
Subclass of:
Physical Examination
Definitions related to vital signs:
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Clinical observations measure the body's basic functions such as such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, height, weight, body mass index, head circumference, pulse oximetry, temperature, and body surface area.NCI Health Level 7 VocabularyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2018
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Measurements that indicate how well the body is functioning, including pulse rate, respiration (breathing rate), temperature, and blood pressure.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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The signs of life that may be monitored or measured, namely pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Vital signs (such as height, weight, and blood pressure) directly measure an individual's current state of attributes.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Your vital signs show how well your body is functioning. They are usually measured at doctor's offices, often as part of a health checkup, or during an emergency room visit. They include Blood pressure, which measures the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure that is too high or too low can cause problems. Your blood pressure has two numbers. The first number is the pressure when your heart beats and is pumping the blood. The second is from when your heart is at rest, between beats. A normal blood pressure reading for adults is lower than 120/80 and higher than 90/60.; Heart rate, or pulse, which measures how fast your heart is beating. A problem with your heart rate may be an arrhythmia. Your normal heart rate depends on factors such as your age, how much you exercise, whether you are sitting or standing, which medicines you take, and your weight.; Respiratory rate, which measures your breathing. Mild breathing changes can be from causes such as a stuffy nose or hard exercise. But slow or fast breathing can also be a sign of a serious breathing problem.; Temperature, which measures how hot your body is. A body temperature that is higher than normal (over 98.6 degrees F) is called a fever.MedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Vital sign, any of certain basic physiologic measures used in the initial clinical assessment of a patient during a physician's examination. The vital signs of temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure all reflect the general physiologic state as well as specific disease states....Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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