Respiratory and Drug History Flashcards
What is the importance of a medical history ?
- Form a differential diagnosis
- Identify risk factors for conditions
- Identify red flags
- Direct further clinical exams
- Direct investigation and management
- Develop a rapport between patient and health care worker
Identify the structure of history taking.
- Presenting complaint (PC)
- History of presenting complaint (HPC)
- Past medical history (PMH)
- Medication/ allergies(DH)
- Family history (FH)
- Social history (SH)
- Systems enquiry/ review (SE)
Define presenting complaint.
Description of symptoms in patient’s own words
What are symptoms to ask about in a respiratory system enquiry ?
- Chest pain
- Dyspnoea
- Cough
- Sputum
- Haemoptysis
- Wheeze
- Systemic upset
What are the main indicators of pleuritic pain ?
Chest pain that is sharp on coughing and inspiration
What are possible sites of chest pain ?
Central, non central, pleural, chest wall
What are possible causes of central chest pain ?
- Tracheitis
- Angina/ MI
- Aortic dissection
- Massive PE
- Oesophagitis
- Lung tumour/ metastases
- Mediastinal tumour/ mediastinitis
What are possible causes of non-central chest pain ?
- Shingles
- Lung tumour
- PE
- Rib fracture
- Pneumonia
What are possible causes of pleural chest pain ?
- Pneumonia / Bronchiectasis / TB
- Lung tumour/ metastases/ mesothelioma
- PE
- Pneumothorax
What are possible causes of chest wall pain ?
- Muscular / rib injury
- Costochondritis
- Lung tumour / bony metastases/ mesothelioma
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
What are possible questions to ask about dyspnoea ?
- Is there anything that brings it on?
- Does anything make it better or worse?
- Are you always breathless? Is it when you walk/ exercise?
- Do you get breathless lying down?
– Orthopnoea/ PND (cardiac causes) - How far can you walk normally? How far can you walk now? i.e. exercise tolerance
- How do you manage walking uphill / up stairs?
- Is there anything it stops you from doing?
- Have you noticed any other symptoms?
– Consider – cough, sputum, chest pain, palpitations, wheeze, stridor
What could dyspnoea with onset of minutes be due to ?
- PE
- Pneumothorax
- Acute LVF
- Acute asthma
- Inhaled foreign body
What could dyspnoea with onset of hours to days be due to ?
- Pneumonia
- Asthma
- Exacerbation of COPD
What could dyspnoea with onset of weeks to months be due to ?
- Anaemia
- Pleural effusion
- Respiratory neuromuscular disorders
What could dyspnoea with onset of months to years be due to ?
- COPD
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary TB
What are possible respiratory causes of dyspnoea ?
– Airways e.g. asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, laryngeal tumour, foreign body, lung tumour
– Parenchyma e.g. pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, TB – Pulmonary circulation e.g. PE
– Pleural e.g. pneumothorax , pleural effusion
– Chest wall e.g. kyphoscoliosis, ankylosing spondylitis
– Neuromuscular e.g. myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome
What are possible CV causes of dyspnoea ?
- LVF
- Angina or MI
What are non-CV causes of dyspnoea ?
- Anaemia
- Obesity
- Hyperventilation
- Anxiety
- Metabolic acidosis
What are questions to ask about the symptom of cough ?
- How long have you had it? (i.e. is it a new problem?)
- When does it occur?
- Is there anything that makes it better or worse?
- Is it a dry cough? Do you cough anything up?
- Do you smoke?
- Has your medication changed recently?
- Do you experience any other symptoms?(consider dyspnoea, weight loss, stridor, pain, syncope, vomiting)
What are the most common causes of acute cough ?
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Pneumonia
- Inhalation of foreign body
- Irritation
What are the most common causes of chronic cough ?
MORE COMMON
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux
- Asthma/ COPD / smoking
- Post-nasal drip
- Occupational or other irritants
- Medication (ACEI)
LESS COMMON
- Lung tumour
- Bronchiectasis
- Interstitial lung disease
What are red flags in a patient with coughing ?
- Haemoptysis
- Breathlessness / chest pain
- Weight loss
- Smoking
What are possible characteristics of cough ?
- Productive
- Persistent ‘moist’ cough worst in morning
- Associated with wheeze
- Painful
- Harsh/ barking
- Chronic, dry cough
- Persistent with haemoptysis
- ‘Bovine’ cough (non-explosive cough)
What are the most common causes of productive cough ?
- Infection
- Bronchiectasis
What are the most common causes of persistent ‘moist’ cough worst in morning ?
-COPD
What are the most common causes of cough associated with wheeze ?
- Asthma
- COPD
What are the most common causes of painful cough ?
-Tracheaitis
What are the most common causes of harsh/barking cough ?
-Laryngitis/laryngeal tumour