Definition

Noun: 1. A record of a person's past health, illnesses, treatments, and relevant personal information: "Medical history" refers to the detailed account of a patient's health over their lifetime, including past diseases, surgeries, medications, allergies, immunizations, and family health patterns, as recalled by the patient or gathered from medical records.

Usage

• "Medical history" is a standard, uncountable noun phrase used in healthcare settings.
• It is a key component of a patient's record and is essential for diagnosis and treatment planning.
• It is often collected through a process called "taking a history" during a medical consultation.

Examples

• The doctor began the appointment by taking a detailed medical history.
• A complete medical history includes information about your parents' and siblings' health.
• Please fill out this form about your medical history before seeing the specialist.
• The patient's medical history revealed a previous allergy to penicillin.

Advanced Usage

• "Family medical history": A specific subset focusing on the health patterns and diseases present in a patient's close blood relatives.
  • A strong family medical history of heart disease is a significant risk factor.
• "To take a medical history": The act of a healthcare professional systematically gathering this information from a patient.
  • The nurse will take your medical history before the doctor sees you.

Variants and Related Words

• History (in a medical context): Often used as a shortened, informal form of "medical history" within clinical conversations.
  • "What's the patient's history?" the doctor asked.
• Case history: A broader term that can include the medical history along with the narrative of the current illness and its treatment.
• Anamnesis: A formal, clinical term synonymous with "medical history," particularly the information recalled by the patient.

Synonyms

• Health history: A very close synonym, often used interchangeably.
• Patient history: Emphasizes the history belonging to the specific patient.
• Clinical history: Similar to "case history," with a focus on the information relevant to clinical care.

Related Phrases

• Past medical history (PMH): A common heading in medical notes that categorizes the patient's previous illnesses and conditions.
  • The Past Medical History (PMH) was significant for diabetes and hypertension.
• Social history (in medicine): A related part of a patient's record detailing lifestyle factors like occupation, smoking, alcohol use, and diet.
• Surgical history: A specific part of the medical history listing all past surgeries and procedures.

Noun

1. the case history of a medical patient as recalled by the patient