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vital sign
physiology
Know about an experimental medical two-way mirror that can remotely keep track of people's health such as heart rate and other vital signsLearn about an experimental “medical mirror” that remotely monitors heart rate and other vital signs.
See all videos for this articlevital sign, any of certain basic physiologic measures used in the initial clinical assessment of a patient during a physician’s examination. The vital signs of temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure all reflect the general physiologic state as well as specific disease states. Changes in these signs are frequently associated with severe illness, although regular variations among different individuals and at various times in a single individual may be normal. Deviations from normal ranges in more than one of the vital signs, however, usually represent some physiologic disturbance.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Robert Lewis.
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