Histories Flashcards
Neurological history
General
Fits/falls/LOC
Headache
Dizziness
Vision/hearing
Memory loss
Neck stiffness/photophobia
Motor
Weakness
Incontinence
Sensory
Pain
Numbness
Tingling
ENT history?
Ear
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Otalgia
Nose
Rhinorrhoea
Epistaxis
Throat
Sore throat
Odynophagia
Cardio history?
Chest pain
Palpitations
SOB/wheeze
Cough
Sputum
Haemoptysis
Leg swelling
Always remember?
ICE and FLAWS!!
GI history?
Weight loss
Appetite change
Dysphagia
Nausea/vomiting
Indigestion/heartburn
Abdominal pain
Bowel habit
Tenesmus
Blood/mucus in stool
Flatus
Urological history
Storage
Frequency
Volume
Urgency
Nocturia
Incontinence (overflow/stress/urge)
Infection
Dysuria
Haematuria
Odour
Prostatic/voiding (if male)
Hesitancy
Poor flow/dribbling
Feeling of incomplete emptying
Rheum history?
Joints
Pain
Stiffness
Swelling
Work down body
Skin (rashes, ulcers, Raynaud’s)
Hair loss
Eyes (redness, dryness)
Mouth (dryness)
Chest (breathlessness, SOB)
GI (IBD symptoms)
Genitourinary (discharge)
Orthopaedic history?
Joints/bone/soft tissue
Pain
Stiffness
Swelling
Movement restriction/ability to weight-bear
Mechanical symptoms
Locking
Giving way
Neurological symptoms distally
Weakness
Numbness
Paraesthesia
Respiratory history?
Cough +- productive
Wheeze
SOB
Chest pain
FLAWS
HEPS = occupation, pets, smoking, allergens
Childhood infections
Hypothyroidism symptoms:
constipation, weight gain, cold intolerance, menorrhagia
Glaucoma symptoms:
visual blurring, red eye, halos around lights
Headache Red Flags:
Intracranial bleed: thunderclap headache, recent trauma
Raised intracranial pressure: posture/Valsalva-related
SOL: immunosuppression, malignancy, focal neurology, onset >50 years
Meningitis: rash, fever, neck stiffness, photophobia
Giant cell arteritis: visual problems, jaw claudication, scalp tenderness
Glaucoma: visual blurring, red eye, halos
SOB?
Current vs. normal exercise tolerance (what makes them stop?)
Orthopnoea
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
Diurnal/seasonal variation if chronic
Sputum questions
How much, how often
Colour, consistency
Any blood
Palpitations?
Fast or slow
Regular or irregular (ask patient to tap out palpitation on table)
Any dizziness, LOC, nausea, sweating/clamminess, dyspnoea
Associated cardiorespiratory symptoms (see systems review)
Dysphagia questions?
Solids/liquids/both, which came first
Constant/intermittent, progressive/non-progressive
Odynophagia
Weight loss, food intake
Associated gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms (see systems review)
Back pain red flags?
Cauda equina: urinary incontinence/retention, faecal incontinence/constipation, bilateral leg pain, severe/progressive neurological deficit, decreased anal tone/saddle anaesthesia
Infection or cancer: age <20 or >55 years at onset, weight loss, fever/night sweats, recent infection, cancer history, injecting drugs, immunosuppression
Fracture: trauma, severe central spinal pain, structural spine deformity, spinal tenderness
Spondyloarthropathy: early morning stiffness, night pain, worse with rest
Joint pain/stiffness?
Worse in morning?, how long for (>30 minutes suggests inflammatory cause)
Better with exercise (inflammatory) or worse after exercise (osteoarthritis)
Sleep disturbance
Loss of function
Associated rheumatological symptoms (see systems review)
Dementia history questions?
Living situation, carer/home support
Mobility/walking aids
Effect on function/coping with activities of daily living: washing, dressing, cooking, cleaning
Working/driving
Smoking, alcohol and other cardiovascular risk factors
RISK:
To self: wandering, leaving gas on, abuse, neglect by self or others
To others: aggression, risky behaviour
Carer’s needs: empathise with the demands; ask about stress, coping, and support
Metallic valve replacement sounds?
Abnormal S1 = mitral
Abnormal S2 = aortic