1. Vitals Signs & Measurements
Dr.Gourav Kumar
Assistant professor
Department of Radiation and Imaging Technology
NIMS University, Jaipur Rajasthan

2. Vitals Signs
 Vital signs are a group of the four to six most important medical
signs that indicate the body’s vital functions.
 These measurements are taken to help asses the general physical
health of a person & give clues to possible diseases.
 It includes –
 - Body temperature
 - Pulse rate

3.  - Respiratory rate
 - Blood Pressure
 - Height &
 - Weight

4. Body Temperature
 • It is the hotness & coldness of the body.
 • The normal body temperature is 37°C or 98.6°F.
 • Thermometer is an instrument used to measure body
 temperature.
 • There are 2 types of body temperature –
 (a) Core temperature – It is the temperature of the internal organs and it
remains constant, most of the time with range of 36.5-37.5°C.

5.  (b) Surface temperature – It is the temperature of the skin, subcutaneous tissue &
fat cells and it rises & falls in response to the environment.
 It does not indicate internal physiology.

6. Sites of measuring temperature
 Oral
 Rectal
 Axillary
 Tympanic

7. Pulse Rate
 Pulse – A wave of blood flow created by a contraction of the heart.
 Pulse rate is commonly assessed by palpation (feeling) by the 3 fingers or
auscultation (hearing) the pulse with the help of stethoscope or
sphygmomanometer.
 Normal pulse rate 60-100 beats/minute.

8. Different – different ways of
palpation

9. Sphygmomanometer or Stethoscope

11. Respiratory rate
 Respiration is the act of breathing and includes the intake of oxygen and
removal of carbon di-oxide.
 Ventilation also a another word which refers to movement of air in and out of
the lungs.
 Observed by the movement of the chest up ward and down ward.
 Normal RR is 15-20/minute.
 Respiration measuring instruments respirometer.

13. Blood Pressure
 Blood pressure is the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood
vessels.
 It is expressed in terms of millimeters of Mercury (mm of Hg).
 BP is measured by using an instrument called Sphygmomanometer or
Stethoscope.
 Brachial artery and popliteal artery is most common used for bp measurement.

14. Types of blood pressure
 There are 2 types of blood pressure-
 (a) Systolic blood pressure – refers to the pressure inside your arteries when
your heart is pumping.
 (b) Diastolic blood pressure – is the pressure inside your arteries when your
heart is resting between beats.
OR
 Systolic blood pressure is the top number and refers to the amount of pressure
experienced by the arteries while the heart is beating.
 Diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number and refers to the amount of
pressure in the arteries while the heart is resting in between heartbeats.

15. • Normal blood pressure is 120mmHg systolic
and 80mmHg diastolic.

16. Sites of measuring BP
 Upper arm using brachial artery.
 Thigh around popliteal artery.
 Forearm – radial artery.
 Leg using posterior tibial or dorsal pedis.

17. Reference
 Ruth Ann Ehrlich & Joan A. Daly RT Vital Sign in textbook of patient care Seventh
Edition.