The medical history represents an important component in the diagnosis of pneumonia.
Family history
- What is the current health status of your family members?
- Is there a history of lung disease in your family?
Social history
- When and where were you last on vacation?
- Long-distance travel
- France, Spain
- Greece
- Central America, USA Midwest
- When was the last time you stayed in a hotel with a hot tub, steam rooms, saunas, etc.?
- Do you have pets (birds)?
- Do you have a flock of sheep or goats within a radius of 5 km?
- Do you have anything to do with cattle breeding?
- Is there bedriddenness?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Do you have any acute symptoms such as high fever (> 39 °C, severe cough and rapid pulse)* .
- Is the cough productive? What color is the sputum?
- Have you noticed any accelerated breathing?
- Do you have shortness of breath?*
- Do you have to sweat more?
- Do you have pain in the chest area?*
- Does your child have: vomiting, convulsions and signs of meningeal syndrome – disease of the meninges, which causes various symptoms, e.g. headache, stiff neck?* .
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Do you eat a balanced diet?
- Do you get enough exercise every day?
- Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
- Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses per day?
Self history incl. medication history.
- Pre-existing conditions (pulmonary disease (eg, COPD), cardiovascular disease, immunodeficiencies, chronic liver and kidney disease, infections, diabetes mellitus, dysphagia).
- Surgery (asplenia? / removal of the spleen or failure of organ function).
- Allergies
Medication history
- Benzodiazepines
- In patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (+28%).
- In the group of sleep-inducing benzodiazepines: increase in pneumonia rate 2.4-fold ; in non-benzodiazepine sleep aids, the so-called Z-substances, and anxiety-relieving benzodiazepines: increase in pneumonia rate 1.6- and 1.5-fold, respectively.
- Glucocorticoids, systemic [aspergillosis.]
- Nitrofurantoin → eosinophilic pneumonia (as a side effect).
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs; acid blockers): 1.0% of subjects without PPI therapy and 2.4% of subjects with PPI therapy have an increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia (AEP; English CAP = community acquired pneumonia)
- Cytostatics
- Ustekinumab → “non-infectious” pneumonia
- Condition after antibiotic therapy
Environmental history
- Air pollutants: particulate matter
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)
