Final answer:
A temperature of 102°F in a patient is indicative of a fever and may lead to increased heart and breathing rates as the body's response to illness. Blood pressure may also vary, though not as consistently. These changes are measurable signs of disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient presents with a temperature of 102°F, which is above the normal body temperature of 98.6°F, other vital signs may also be affected. Since a fever can result from the body's response to infection, the patient's heart rate may be elevated (tachycardia), meaning it could be higher than the standard 60-100 beats per minute. Similarly, breathing rate could be increased (tachypnea), potentially exceeding the typical 12-18 breaths per minute. Blood pressure may also vary, but not as predictably as heart and breathing rates since it can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as the body's level of hydration, the patient's position, and the nature of the illness causing the fever. The presence of a fever often indicates an infectious or inflammatory process in the body, and it is a sign of disease because it is a measurable change in the body's normal functioning.