Past Medical History Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Past Medical History?
A patient’s past medical history is an important part of their overall health and wellbeing. It helps provide information about the patient’s current health status, as well as any potential risks or complications with treatment. A comprehensive past medical history can help a healthcare provider determine the most effective course of action for a particular individual.When gathering past medical history from a patient, it is important to ask questions that cover both chronic and acute conditions. This includes illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, asthma and allergies. It also covers any surgeries or other treatments they may have had in the past such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Additionally, it should include information about lifestyle habits such as smoking or alcohol consumption. In addition to chronic and acute conditions it is also important to gather information on medications that the patient is taking regularly (both prescription and over-the-counter). This includes details on dosage amounts and frequency of use so that a provider can accurately assess any potential drug interactions or side effects associated with new medications they may be prescribed in the future. Finally it is also essential to inquire about family history when taking a patient’s past medical history since some diseases are hereditary in nature and can increase risk for certain conditions such as heart disease or cancer. Gathering this type of information allows healthcare providers to create more customized treatment plans that are tailored specifically to each individual’s needs and goals for their health care journey going forward.