What it means
In care, elevation usually means raising a limb or the head of the bed. Raising an injured arm or leg above the heart helps fluid drain and reduces swelling. In lab and ECG talk, it means a value or line that is higher than normal, such as an elevated temperature or ST-segment elevation on an electrocardiogramih-lek-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gramA test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.electr/o electricitycardi/o heart-gram recordFull entry .
For the nurse
Elevate a swollen limb on pillows so the whole limb is supported and the hand or foot is higher than the elbow or knee. Do not elevate the legs of a client with poor arterial blood flow unless ordered, since that can reduce flow further.
In a chart
"Right ankle elevated on two pillows; ice applied for 20 minutes."
At a glance
| Also written | elevations |
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Related terms
edema
Swelling caused by extra fluid trapped in the body's tissues.
hypertension
Blood pressure that stays higher than normal, at or above 130/80 mm Hg by current US guidelines.