past medical history
Last reviewed 01/2018
This part of the history should include an account of all previous illnesses or operations, whether apparently important or not. For instance, a casually mentioned attack of influenza or chill may have been a manifestation of an occult infection. Some idea of the importance of a past illness may be gained by finding out how long the patient was in bed and/or off work. Complications of any previous illnesses should be carefully enquired into, and here leading questions are sometimes necessary.
Previous illnesses Previous operations Psychological: any emotional or nervous problems
sometimes specific enquiries - rheumatic fever, diabetes, epilepsy, tuberculosis, nephritis, tropical or venereal disease, allergies, jaundice, ulcers