Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of flushing (facial redness).
Family history
- What is the general health of your relatives?
- Are there any diseases in your family 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).
- What symptoms have you noticed?
- When does this symptomatology occur?
- Which parts of the body does the redness affect?
- Do other symptoms occur in addition to the redness?
- Was the appearance of the flushing related to the ingestion of medications, alcohol, or certain foods?
Vegetative history including dietary history.
- Do you eat spicy food frequently?
- Do you drink alcohol more often? If so, what drink(s) and how many glasses of it per day?
Self anamnesis incl. medication anamnesis
- Pre-existing conditions
- Operations
- Radiotherapy
- Allergies
Medication history
- Disulfiram and chlorpromazine in combination with alcohol intake.
- Disulfiram and chlorpromazine [in Asians].
- Hormones
- Prostaglandin analogs (alprostadil/prostaglandin E)
- Niacin (vitamin B3) [dosage: > 30 mg]
- Nitrates such as isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN)
- Parasympathetic mimetics (bethanechol).
- Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors/PDE5 inhibitors (avanafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil).
- X-ray contrast agents (as an immediate response).
