View source for Vital signs

{{Infobox_Disease |
  Name           = {{PAGENAME}} |
  Image          = |
  Caption        = |
  DiseasesDB     = |
  ICD10          = |
  ICD9           = |
  ICDO           = |
  OMIM           = |
  MedlinePlus    = |
  eMedicineSubj  = |
  eMedicineTopic = |
  MeshID         = |
}}
{{SI}}
{{CMG}}



'''Vital signs''' are measures of various physiological statistics often taken by [[health professional]]s in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a [[case presentation]].

== Primary four ==

There are four vital signs which are standard in most medical settings:

# [[Body Temperature]]
# [[Pulse]] rate (or [[heart rate]])
# [[Blood pressure]]
# [[Respiratory rate]]

The equipment needed is a [[thermometer]], a [[sphygmomanometer]], and a watch with a second hand. 

Though a pulse can often be taken by hand, a [[stethoscope]] may be required for a patient with a very weak pulse.

== Additional signs ==

=== Fifth sign ===

The phrase "fifth vital sign" usually refers to [[Pain and nociception|pain]], as perceived by the patient on a [[Pain scale]] of 0-10. For example, the Veterans Administration made this their policy in 1999. However, some doctors have noted that pain is actually a subjective [[symptom]], not an objective [[Medical sign|sign]], and therefore object to this classification.<ref>Harold S. Lee.  November 2004.  [http://www.asahq.org/Newsletters/2004/11_04/lte11_04.html Physical Diagnosis 101: A Lesson From the First Year of Medical School], in Letters to the Editor. ''American Society of Anesthesiologists'', Volume 68, Number 11.  </ref>

Other sources include [[Pulse oximeter|pulse oximetry]] as their fifth sign.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Mower W, Myers G, Nicklin E, Kearin K, Baraff L, Sachs C |title=Pulse oximetry as a fifth vital sign in emergency geriatric assessment |journal=Acad Emerg Med |volume=5 |issue=9 |pages=858-65 |year=1998 |id=PMID 9754497}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Mower W, Sachs C, Nicklin E, Baraff L |title=Pulse oximetry as a fifth pediatric vital sign |journal=Pediatrics |volume=99 |issue=5 |pages=681-6 |year=1997 |id=PMID 9113944}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Neff T |title=Routine oximetry. A fifth vital sign? |journal=Chest |volume=94 |issue=2 |pages=227 |year=1988 |id=PMID 3396392}}</ref>

Some sources consider [[pupil]] size, equality, and reactivity to light to be a vital sign as well.<ref name="brady">Daniel Limmer and Michael F. O'Keefe.  2005.  ''Emergency Care'' 10th ed.  Edward T. Dickinson, Ed.  Pearson, Prentice Hall.  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Page 212 and 218.</ref>

=== Sixth sign ===

There is no standard "sixth vital sign", and the use is much more informal and discipline-dependent than with the above, but some proposals (excluding the fifth sign candidates above) include:

<div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
*[[Urinary continence]]<ref>{{cite journal |author=Joseph A |title=Continence: the sixth vital sign? |journal=Am J Nurs |volume=103 |issue=7 |pages=11 |year=2003 |id=PMID 12865635}}</ref>
* End-tidal [[CO2]]<ref>{{cite journal |author=Vardi A, Levin I, Paret G, Barzilay Z |title=The sixth vital sign: end-tidal CO2 in pediatric trauma patients during transport |journal=Harefuah |volume=139 |issue=3-4 |pages=85-7, 168 |year=2000 |id=PMID 10979461}}</ref>
*Emotional [[distress]]<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bultz B, Carlson L |title=Emotional distress: the sixth vital sign--future directions in cancer care |journal=Psychooncology |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=93-5 |year=2006 |id=PMID 16444764}} [http://www.jco.org/cgi/content/full/23/26/6440 link]</ref>
*[[Spirometry]]<ref>http://www.ohsu.edu/medicine/residency/handouts/0405handouts/COPD091304.ppt </ref>
*[[Glucose]]<ref>http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/cme/about/documents/PrintHandout.ppt </ref>
* Functional Status<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bierman A |title=Functional status: the sixth vital sign |journal=J Gen Intern Med |volume=16 |issue=11 |pages=785-6 |year=2001 |id=PMID 11722694}} [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1495293 link]</ref>
*[[Oxygen saturation]] level
*[[Intracranial pressure]]
*Skin signs (color)
</div>

== Variations by age ==

Children and infants have respiratory and heart rates that are faster than those of adults as shown in the following table:

{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="5" style="text-align:center"
!Age
!Normal heart rate<br>(beats per minute)<ref>''Emergency Care'', Page 214</ref>
!Normal respiratory rate<br>(breaths per minute)<ref>''Emergency Care'', Page 215</ref>
|-
|Newborn || 200-260 || 30-50
|-
|0-5 months || 90-190 || 25-40
|-
|6-12 months || 80-140 || 20-30
|-
|1-3 years || 80-130 || 20-30
|-
|3-5 years || 80-120 || 20-30
|-
|6-10 years || 70-110 || 15-30
|-
|11-14 years || 60-105 || 12-20
|-
|14+ years || 60-100 || 12-20
|}

== See also ==

* [[Biotelemetry]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Nursing}}
{{Symptoms and signs}}	



[[fr:Fonctions vitales]]
[[ja:バイタルサイン]]
[[ru:Признаки жизни]]

{{WH}}
{{WS}}


[[Category:Medical tests]]
[[Category:Physical examination]]