History Taking Flashcards
What’s the full meaning of SOCRATES?
Site Onset Character Radiation Association Time Course Exacerbating / Relieving Factors Severity
What is the ultimate goal of a Medical History?
To reach a diagnosis or a differential diagnosis
What is the content of History taking ?
Rapport Demographics Presenting complaint History of presenting complaint Past medical histories Drug history Family history Social history Systemic enquiries Synthesis Summary
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Aims of history taking
- To identify the relevant organ system(s) responsible for symptoms
- To clarify the nature of the pathological processes at play
- To characterize the social context of patients’ illness, their concerns, and interpretation of symptoms
Ways of showing the patient you’ve been listening to the content of their problem
- Facilitating(e. g. Nodding, “uhuh”, “go on” etc.)
- Rephrasing
- Clarification and Elaboration
- Further questioning
- Summarizing periodically
most important and crucial part of history taking
History of Presenting Complaints(HPC)
Mention 5 characteristics of symptoms that are “fluid in nature” (bleeding, vomiting, loose bowel movements)
- Frequency/# of episodes
- Volume/amount
- Color
- Content
- Consistency
“CAGE” questions for a patient who consumes alcohol
- “Have you thought about Cutting down?”
- “Have you ever gotten Annoyed when people talk to you about your drinking?”
- “Have you ever felt Guilty about your drinking?”
• “Do you ever have a drink first thing in the morning (Eye opener)?”
NB: An affirmative answer to 2 or more CAGE questions has a sensitivity and specificity of > 90% for alcohol dependence.
Doctors make diagnosis by
- History taking
- Physical examination
- Investigation
Mention 3 egs of symptoms that are fluid in nature
bleeding, vomiting, loose bowel movements
burning substernal chest pain is more likely to be due to
esophageal reflux
squeezing or crushing chest pain is more likely to be
angina or myocardial infarction
What does the patients ICEs mean?
ideas, concerns and expectations
An example of an expected side effect of morphine
Itching
Give one adverse reaction from taking aspirin
Gastric bleeding
What is pruritus
Itching
What is Malaise?
a feeling of weakness, overall discomfort, illness, or simply not feeling well
What is Odynophagia?
Painful Swallowing