Those who don’t remember their medical history may not necessarily be condemned to repeat it; you won’t have your appendix removed a second time, and you’re unlikely to get mumps again.
However, if you ever find yourself in an emergency department, knowing your own history can help those who are looking after you.
The current standard is for your family physician to have a summary of your medical history at the front of your chart. With computerized offices, there is an electronic version.
Unfortunately, many people don’t have a regular family physician. Knowing your history is essential to complete and optimal care.
In the past, medical students used to call some patients “poor historians,” but they weren’t underpaid academics. Rather, the students had difficulty getting the important details from these patients. Being a good historian requires some familiarity with medical terms. Here is a primer for what you should know.
u Allergies: Here we list allergic reactions to drugs or medical materials, such as IV contrast, latex or adhesives. Many people mistake allergies for medication side effects, such as upset stomach, diarrhea and yeast infections with antibiotics.
True allergic reactions include rashes, hives, itching, wheezing, fainting, shortness of breath or swelling of the lips, mouth or face. Severe allergies to foods and insects should also be listed.
u Current medications: Just like us, all drugs have two names. The trade name (which is like a first name) is capitalized and is often a catchy word made up by a drug company (for example, Viagra).
The generic name (analogous to a surname but written in lowercase) is the name of the actual molecule (for example, sildenafil). It’s usually harder for most people to remember.
You should have a list of all your medications, including the dose (e.g. 30 mg) and frequency (e.g. once daily or three times daily).
u Family history: The problems of your parents and siblings are often great predictors of your health risks. Relevant conditions include coronary artery disease (causing angina and heart attacks) strokes, cancer (especially of the prostate, ovary, breast and colon), diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It is also helpful to know the relative’s age of onset for any of these conditions. In general, the more relatives with the same disease and the earlier the age of onset correlate with a disease’s inheritability.
This knowledge is helpful in identifying and treating conditions early. By treating risk factors with lifestyle changes and sometimes with medications, we may prevent heart attacks and strokes or delay the onset of diabetes.
u Operations: It is helpful to know both the date and the actual medical term for each surgery or other procedure.
u Significant illnesses: This includes the dates and reasons for hospitalizations, chronic diseases and other significant medical conditions. Knowing a condition’s date of diagnosis can help determine its potential impact on your overall health.
The salient details of your medical history can be summarized on a single sheet of paper. Consider keeping this summary with you when travelling or in case you have to attend a hospital or a clinic.
If you already have a thorough knowledge of your medical history, you’re a step ahead in being more in control of your own health care.
If you don’t, start writing down the details. You may soon be known as a great historian.
Dr. Davidicus Wong is a family physician and physician lead of the Burnaby Division of Family Practice. His Healthwise column appears regularly in this paper. You can read more about achieving your positive potential in health at davidicuswong.wordpresss.com.
