Acute Medicine | Respiratory | Importance of good history

Importance of Good History
Session Overview
Description
This session focuses on the importance of taking a good history when reviewing a patient with a cough.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Take a reliable history from a patient with cough so it can be used to organise the most appropriate investigations and management

Cough is a common symptom that affects patients - for which they often seek medical advice from both primary and secondary care.

Doctors can underestimate the distress that cough can cause, as it can alter a patient’s quality of life and general well being.

Many cases of cough will be due to benign causes. However, taking a reliable history is important as, on occasion, it can indicate an obvious underlying cause for the cough which can then be treated with resolution of the symptoms.