Monitoring and maintaining vital signs within a normal range is important, since constant abnormal readings may be an early indicator that something else might be going on inside your body. While changes in vital signs is expected during normal daily activities and diurnal variations, others factors or medical conditions may be responsible for such changes. Knowing some of these factors may help you in identifying what might be the cause and seek medical help early in courses.
Factors that Increase Respiratory Rate
- Increase in metabolism rate - Hyperthyroidism or graves disease.
- When one is going under stressful situations.
- High attitude.
- Decrease in oxygen concentration - Hypovolemic shock and COPD.
- Increase in environmental temperature.
Factors that Decreases the Respiratory Rate
- Increased intracranial pressure - Brain injury or brain tumor.
- Individuals using narcotics such as morphine.
- Decreased environmental temperature.
Factors that Increases the Pulse Rate or Heart Rate
- Exercises or during time of increased activity levels.
- During periods of fever
- Medications like atropine sulfate and epinephrine.
- Hypovolemic shock
- Stress
- Suddenly moving from sitting to standing position - Decrease in blood pressure.
Factors that Decreases the Pulse Rate or Heart Rate
- Athlete - Very active individuals
- During very cold weather or individuals suffering from hypothermia.
- Increase in intracranial pressure.
- Use of medications like beta blockers.
Factors that increases the body temperature
- Diurnal variations - Body temperature is highest at 8.00 pm and midnight.
- During exercises
- Women during ovulation - due to increased progestrone.
- During stressful situations.
Factors that Decreases the Body Temperature
- Diurnal variations - body temperature is usually lowest at 4.00 am and 6.00 am in the morning.
- Age - New born and old people are unable to adjust well to changing temperatures.
Read my previous post on Factors that affect blood pressure readings.
These are some of the a few possible problems that can increase or decrease your vital signs readings. Other medical conditions may also be responsible. Seek medical advise if you think your are having a problem with your vital signs.
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