Vital signs
(also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most important medical signs that indicate the status of the body's vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person, give clues to possible diseases, and show progress toward recovery. The normal ranges for a person's vital signs vary with age, weight, gender, and overall health. There are four primary vital signs - body temperature, blood pressure, pulse (heart rate), and breathing rate (respiratory rate), often notated as bt, bp, hr, and rr. However, depending on the clinical setting, the vital signs may include other measurements called the "Fifth vital sign" or "Sixth vital sign". Vital signs are recorded using the loinc internationally accepted standard coding system.
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