Cough: Medical History

Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of cough. Family history

  • What is the general health of your family members?
    • Are there any respiratory diseases in the family?
  • Are there frequent respiratory diseases in your family?

Social history

  • What is your profession?
  • Are you exposed to harmful working substances in your profession?

Current medical history/systemic medical history (somatic and psychological complaints).

  • How long have you had a cough?
  • How did the cough start?
    • Gradually?
    • Sudden onset?
  • What does the cough sound like?
    • Roaring, dry, throat clearing, coming to a halt in sleep, environment more affected than the patient.
    • Barking
    • Staccato-like*
  • Has the cough changed in quality and quantity recently?
  • Quality:
    • Irritative cough (dry cough)
    • Productive cough (moist cough)
    • Hemoptysis
    • Viscous discharges
  • In addition, do you have sputum? If yes:
    • What does the sputum look like?
      • Quantity?
      • Consistency?
      • Coughing up blood* ?
    • Does the sputum occur constantly or only at certain times (time of day?)?
    • Does the sputum occur more after eating?
  • Do you have a continuous cough without being healthy at times?
  • Do you experience other symptoms besides sputum, such as fatigue, exhaustion, and/or fever?
  • Do you have difficulty breathing* ?
    • Shortness of breath* ?
    • Whistling breath sound* occurring during inspiration and/or expiration (inspiratory/expiratory stridor)?
  • Do you suffer from hoarseness?
  • Are you in pain?
    • Head?
    • Ears?
    • Throat?
    • Thorax* ?
    • Limbs?
  • Do you have a cold?
  • Do you suffer from bad breath?
  • What triggers the cough (trigger)?
    • Exertion, cold air
    • Lying down
    • Food intake
  • What helps with the cough? Sleep?
  • Do you have a cough essentially only at night?
  • Do you have a fever* ?
  • Do you have any other symptoms such as.
    • Runny or stuffy nose?
    • Reddened eyes?
    • Morning sneezing?

Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.

  • Have you lost body weight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
  • Has your appetite changed?
  • Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes, cigars, or pipes per day?
  • Are you a passive smoker?
  • Do you drink alcohol? If so, 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 (respiratory disease; chronic bronchitis; sinusitis/sinusitis; allergies, bronchial asthma; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); lung problems during pregnancy or childbirth?)
  • Operations
  • Allergies
  • Environmental history (exposure to inhaled noxious agents).

Self history incl. medication history.

Drug history

  • ACE inhibitors (benazepril, captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fosinopril, imidapril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril, spirapril, trandolapril, zofenopril) [irritable cough; dry cough; not dose-related; occurrence within hours to weeks/months].
  • Amiodarone (antiarrhythmic agent).
  • Analgesics
    • Coxiebe (celecoxib, parecoxib)
  • Angiotension II receptor antagonists (AT-II-RB; ARB; angiotensin II receptor subtype 1 antagonists; angiotensin receptor blockers; AT1 receptor antagonists, AT1 receptor blockers, AT1 antagonists, AT1 blockers; Angiotensin receptor blockers, sartans) – candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, losartan, olmesartan, telmisartan, valsartan [Side effect: Irritable cough is questionable according to current studies]
  • Anticholinergics (ipratropium bromide).
  • Beta blockers
  • Cromoglicic acid
  • MTOR inhibitors (everolimus, temsirolimus)
  • N-methyl-D-aspartate recptor antagonist (memantine).
  • Cytostatics
    • Antimetabolites (methotrexate (MTX))

* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)