Medical history (history of illness) is an important component in the diagnosis of chest pain (chest pain).
Family history
- What is the general health of your family members?
- Are there any diseases (cardiovascular or pulmonary) in your family that are common?
Social history
- What is your profession?
- Is there smoking in your environment, i.e. you are a passive smoker?
- Are you exposed to harmful working substances in your job?
- Is there any evidence of psychosocial stress or strain due to your family situation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- How quickly did the chest pain* occur?
- Acute – minutes to hours?
- Subacute – hours to days?
- Days to weeks?
- Recurrent?
- Where is the pain localized? Does the pain radiate?
- Has the pain changed? Become stronger?*
- What is the character of the pain? Cutting, stabbing, dull, drilling, burning, tearing, etc.?
- Is the pain dependent on breathing?
- Does the pain intensify or get better with exertion/movement?
- Do you suffer from shortness of breath?*
- Do you have an irritating cough or cough?
- Do you have any other symptoms?
- Nausea, vomiting?
- Diarrhea?
- Constipation?
- Flatulence?
- Difficulty swallowing?
- Heartburn?
- Heart palpitations?
- Dizziness?
- Weight loss?
- Night sweats?
- Fever?*
- Fatigue?
- Joint pain?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
- Have you lost body weight unintentionally?
- Has your appetite changed?
- 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 (infections; diabetes mellitus; renal insufficiency (process leading to a slowly progressive reduction in kidney function); hypertension (high blood pressure); hyperlipidemia (lipid metabolism disorder); angina pectoris (“chest tightness”; sudden pain in the cardiac region); cardiovascular, pulmonary diseases).
- Operations
- Trauma (injury)
- Allergies
- Medication history (long-term medication: esp. anticoagulants?, antiplatelets?; on-demand medication).
Any unclear chest pain requires immediate diagnosis! * * If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)
