Vital Signs: Parameters, Frequency, and Pediatric and Cardiac Early Warning Scores

Abstract

• Vital parameters are indicative of the person’s general conditions and are listed below: respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and neurocognitive state. • Respiratory rate increases in any condition of respiratory fatigue due to airway obstruction, difficulty in gas exchange, or increased metabolic demands. • In addition to respiratory dynamics, it is important to evaluate oxygen saturation, a useful parameter of the tissue oxygenation state at a peripheral level. • Heart rate, blood pressure, refill time, and cyanosis evaluation indicate any condition of circulatory failure that, if not promptly corrected, can lead to multiorgan damage. • Temperature can be detected in various sites including core, near-core, and peripheral: this parameter is a sign of effective or poor peripheral perfusion. • Finally, neurocognitive impairment may be both respiratory and circulatory failure. • Multiparameter scales can be used to evaluate vital parameters, such as PEWS and C-CHEWS.