The term 'vital signs' typically includes which indicators?

The term 'vital signs' is commonly used in healthcare to refer to essential indicators of a person's physiological status. These include temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate, which are critical for assessing a patient's health condition.

Temperature is a vital sign that indicates the body’s metabolic state and helps in identifying infections or other health issues. Blood pressure measures the force of blood against the walls of the arteries, providing information about cardiovascular health. Heart rate, or pulse, reflects the number of heartbeats per minute and can signal various health conditions, including stress, infection, or cardiac issues.

These indicators are fundamental to monitoring a patient's health status and responding to changes, which is why this combination is recognized as the standard set of vital signs in clinical practice. Other indicators, though important, such as skin turgor, hydration status, pulse, and blood glucose, fall outside the traditional definition of vital signs.