The anamnesis (medical history) represents an important component of the diagnosis of a fracture (bone fracture). Often, especially in older patients, disease-related causes are found for the fall or accident that led to the fracture. These include, for example, cardiovascular-induced dizzy spells or syncope (brief loss of consciousness). A genetic disposition for bone diseases as well as possible tumor diseases (metastases!) can be inquired in the context of the family history. The exact recording of the accident can allow an initial assessment of the extent of the fracture.
Family history
- Is there a frequent history of bone/joint disease in your family?
Social history
- What is your profession?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Where, in what situation, and how did you injure yourself/fall?
- Was there an adequate or inadequate injury (accident)?
- Do you have any pain? Where is the pain localized?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very mild and 10 is very severe, how severe is the pain?
- Can you move your leg/arms?
- Can you still extend or bend the joint?
- Can you still step on the affected leg /Can you still raise your arms? /Are you in pain when you do this?
- What other complaints do you have?
- Do you suffer from nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath?* .
- Have you noticed sensory disturbances in your extremities?*
Vegetative anamnesis incl. nutritional anamnesis.
- Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
- Do you exercise regularly?
- Do you participate in sports? If yes, which sport discipline(s) and how often weekly?
- 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 (bone / joint disease).
- Surgeries
- Allergies
- Medication history
- Radiotherapy (radiotherapy): osteoradionecrosis (radiation necrosis).
Medication history
- Medications that promote osteoporosis (see under “Osteoporosis due to medications”).
- Antidepressants (amitriptyline, imipramine) have an increased risk of hip fracture in elderly patients
- Glitazones – group of oral antidiabetic drugs that have been found to increase fracture risk in women and have been withdrawn from the market because of this.
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs; acid blockers) – increased risk (five outcomes per 10,000 patient-years) of proximal femur fracture after long-term use.
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)
