What are vital signs?

Although it seems paradoxical, the first question we should ask ourselves is: why are they called vital signs yes, actually, they are changing parameters at all times? We refer to the blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and temperature. These parameters reflect a state of equilibrium in the body and serve us as alarm sign to detect that something is not working. As is evident, depending on the altered constant, we will suspect a different focus.

blood pressure

blood pressure refers to blood pressure and it is one of the most important vital signs to analyze for its clinical interest. It is a parameter that can change throughout the dayTherefore, it is recommended to take blood pressure at different times of the day (at least 3 times) to confirm that the values ​​are correct. When we measure blood pressure (millimeters of mercury mm Hg) we take into account two values: systolic and diastolic.

• blood pressure systolic: It is the highest arterial value, popularly known as "the maximum" or TAS. It reflects the pressure of the blood exerted on the wall of the arteries when the heart contracts with the movement of systole. To be considered a normal measurement, a maximum tension will be within the normality between 110 and 140 mm of Hg.
• blood pressure diastolic: It is the lowest value, also called the "minimum" or TAD. It measures the pressure on the wall of the arteries when the heart relaxes or is in diastole. A normal minimum stress is considered between 70 and 90 mm Hg.

When is high blood pressure considered? You are said to be when the maximum blood pressure exceeds 140mm Hg and the minimum blood pressure exceeds 90mm Hg. When this alteration is detected, a study should be carried out to identify the possible triggering cause. And if the cause cannot be discovered, which is most of the time, we will talk essential arterial hypertension or primary to differentiate it from secondary hypertension.

What curiosity, hypertension does not usually manifest itself in the same way in young people as in people over 50 years of age. Young people tend to have higher diastole tension and the greater the systolic pressure. It should also be noted that our can affect our tension.

heart rate

heart rate is the number of keystrokes or heart contractions that occur per minute so it is another of the parameters par excellence. Like tension, it can change throughout the day or before certain situations, for example, in the face of a scare or when we do sports. Fortunately, it reverts quickly to a specific triggering situation.

What is the normal heart rate? When when measuring the pulsations these oscillate between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). However, the detection of alterations in heart rate is frequent and we call it. Family Medicine Specialist