Vital signs

Vital signs (also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most crucial <a href="/facts/Medical_signs/BzP6MrTN">medical signs</a> 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, <a href="/facts/Sex/ssBol2pP">sex</a>, and overall <a href="/facts/Health/yzPVrjTs">health</a>.
There are four primary vital signs: <a href="/facts/Body_temperature/V692hIjw">body temperature</a>, <a href="/facts/Blood_pressure/VtqqSM2J">blood pressure</a>, <a href="/facts/Pulse/Bg8EUcWL">pulse</a> (<a href="/facts/Heart_rate/YngB0bzg">heart rate</a>), and breathing rate (<a href="/facts/Respiratory_rate/Ja9lsl6E">respiratory rate</a>), 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."
<a href="/facts/Early_warning_score/K9SXn2pG">Early warning scores</a> have been proposed that combine the individual values of vital signs into a single score. This was done in recognition that deteriorating vital signs often precede <a href="/facts/Cardiac_arrest/HIAm9AWX">cardiac arrest</a> and/or admission to the <a href="/facts/Intensive_care_unit/j77VBgtt">intensive care unit</a>. Used appropriately, a <a href="/facts/Rapid_response_team_(medicine)/fBrujGT8">rapid response team</a> can assess and treat a deteriorating patient and prevent adverse outcomes.

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Vital signs