Scale

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Scale is a term used in various fields to denote a system of ordered marks at fixed intervals used as a reference standard in measurement. In the field of medicine, it is often used to measure the severity or progression of a disease or condition.

Medical Scales[edit | edit source]

Medical scales are tools used by healthcare professionals to assess and monitor the health status of patients. They can be used to measure a variety of factors, including weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and other vital signs.

Weight Scales[edit | edit source]

Weight scales are perhaps the most common type of medical scale. They are used to measure a patient's body weight, which can be an important indicator of overall health. Weight scales can range from simple mechanical scales to more advanced digital scales that can provide more accurate readings.

Height Scales[edit | edit source]

Height scales are used to measure a patient's height. This can be important for calculating BMI, monitoring growth in children, and assessing health risks associated with being underweight or overweight.

BMI Scales[edit | edit source]

Body Mass Index (BMI) scales are used to calculate a person's BMI, which is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. A high BMI can indicate a risk for health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

Vital Sign Scales[edit | edit source]

Vital sign scales are used to measure vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate. These measurements can provide important information about a patient's overall health and can help healthcare professionals detect potential health problems.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Scale Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD