RESPIRATORY SYSTEM HISTORY & EXAMINATION NOTES
B asic principles of a history "Listen to the patient. He is telling you the diagnosis," comes the wisdom of ages. •To do this efficiently questions should be open-ended and allow for patients to speak freely. •Be selective with direct questioning. The patient may gloss over something that demands deeper inquiry. •Try not to interrupt unnecessarily (but there are times when it is essential to hone in on detail). •Avoid irrelevant detail. Some patients can meander aimlessly with irrelevant anecdotes and these need to be gently curtailed. •Avoid leading questions. •Let the patient speak freely in his own words. History of presenting complaint Following the principles above ask: •What is the principle complaint? Examples include dyspnoea, wheezing or cough as below. •Are there subsidiary complaints? •What is the time scale of the complaint? •Is the disease progressive or static? •Is the problem constant or paroxysmal? If it ...