Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of ascites (abdominal dropsy).
Family history
- Are there any diseases in your family (cardiovascular, tumor, liver diseases) that are common?
Social history
- Is there any evidence of psychosocial stress or strain due to your family situation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Have you noticed an increase in abdominal girth per se?
- If so, how long has this increase in circumference existed?
- Do you suffer from shortness of breath?*
- Have you noticed any protrusion of the umbilical region?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Has your appetite changed?
- Have you noticed any unwanted change in body weight?
- Do you suffer from sleep disturbances?
- Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
- Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses per day?
- Do you use drugs? If yes, what drugs and how often per day or per week?
Self history incl. medication history.
- Pre-existing conditions (cardiovascular disease, liver disease, tumor disease).
- Operations (tumor diseases)
- Allergies
- Medication history
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Information without guarantee)