Medical History Taking Flashcards
why is taking a medical history so important in clinical settings?
- allows for safe treatment
- important to known any possible drug interactions with prescribing
- allows you to risk assess the likelihood of a medical emergency occurring
when a patient comes into the dental clinic, what would be covered in your discussion with them?
- C/O
- HPC
- PMH & drug history
- PDH
- SH
- FH
what is C/O when taking a patients medical history?
“complaining of”
- presenting issue
what must be discussed when taking a pain history?
- site
- onset
- character
- radiation
- associate symptoms
- time
- exacerbating factors
- severity
what might a patients ‘character’ of pain be?
- aching
- crushing
- sharp
- dull
when discussing past medical history with a patient, what are some specific medical areas that must be covered?
- cardiovascular
- respiratory
- gastrointestinal
- neurological
- endocrinology
- musculoskeletal
- blood disorders
what are some cardiovascular disorders that a patient may bring up when taking a history?
- blood pressure disorders
- angina
- previous MI
- stents, CABG, valve replacements
what are some respiratory issues that a patient may bring up during a past medical history discussion?
- pneumonia
- asthma, COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema
- tumours
what are some common gastrointestinal disorders that a patient may bring up in a past medical history discussion?
- reflux problems
- Crohn’s & ulcerative colitis
- cirrhosis of liver
what are some neurological disorders that a patient may bring up during a past medical history discussion?
- fits/seizures
- faints
- headaches
what are endocrinology disorders that patients may bring up in past medical history discussions?
- diabetes = type one & type two
- thyroid dysfunction
- addison’s & cushing’s
what are some notable drugs that should ring alarm bells when a patient says they are taking them?
- anticoagulants
- antiplatelets
- bisphosphonates
- steroids
why is it important to ask about a patients past dental history?
to determine:
- any phobias
- adverse effects to LA
- history of bleeding after treatment
- sedation problems
what aspects should be discussed when taking a social history of a patient?
- alcohol intake
- smoking status
- occupation
- exercise
- recreational drug use
- living situation
why is family history recorded in a medical history?
to determine if the patient has any genetic predisposition to disease
