A typical visit to your doctor’s office will likely begin with a nurse taking your vital signs. You’ll probably see numbers flash up on a screen after the nurse takes your blood pressure, but what do all those numbers mean? And why does the nurse clip that little blue thing onto the end of your finger? Our team at M.D. Express Urgent Care is here to explain what all those numbers mean and why it’s important to track your vital signs.

What are Vital Signs?

Vital signs are the measure of your body’s most basic functions. They include blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory/breathing rate, body temperature, and oxygen saturation. They provide an overall snapshot of a person’s health and can indicate whether or not a person is experiencing a health concern. For instance, if your blood pressure is consistently 120/80 and all of a sudden it spikes to 150/100, this could indicate stress, anxiety, excessive caffeine consumption or a serious underlying health issue. 

Your doctor will keep a record of your vital signs so that he or she can track any changes in your health history. By keeping track of these numbers, you can get an overall snapshot of your health and see if there are any areas that need improvement.

Each vital sign is measured to assess a basic function of a person’s body:

  • Blood pressure: measured to assess the health of the circulatory system and to check for hypertension or hypotension.
  • Heart rate: measured to assess the health of the cardiovascular system and to check for abnormalities such as tachycardia or bradycardia.
  • Respiratory rate: measured to assess lung function and to check for abnormalities such as shallow breathing or rapid breathing.
  • Body temperature: measured to check for fever or hypothermia, which can indicate infection or other medical conditions.
  • Oxygen saturation (SpO2): measured to assess the amount of oxygen in the blood, which can indicate lung or heart problems.

Vital signs are usually taken in a medical setting, such as a hospital or clinic, but they can also be taken at home. Monitoring vital signs is essential for identifying medical issues early on and for monitoring the progress of a treatment or recovery. They are also used in triage and emergency department settings to help determine the level of care needed for a patient.

In our next two blogs, we will discuss each of the vital signs more in depth so you no longer have to wonder, “What do all these numbers mean?”