Which signs are included in the Cardiovascular/Pulmonary System Review?

Study for the Teaching + Learning (T+L) and Fundamentals of Physical Therapy (PT) Test. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with explanations. Prepare effectively for your exam!

In a cardiovascular/pulmonary system review, you’re looking for signs that directly reflect how the heart and lungs are functioning. The essential signs are heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and edema. Heart rate shows how often the heart is beating and responds to activity; respiratory rate indicates ventilation and breathing effort; blood pressure reflects arterial perfusion and afterload; edema signals fluid balance and potential venous congestion or heart failure. Together, they give a quick snapshot of cardiovascular and pulmonary status and help identify red flags that may require medical referral before continuing therapy. Other items listed—temperature and BMI, pupil responses and reflexes, skin turgor, or metabolic measures like blood glucose and cholesterol—belong to different aspects of assessment and aren’t direct signs of the cardiovascular/pulmonary system review.