Family history: Difference between revisions
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'''''Synonyms and Keywords:''''' FH | |||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
In [[medicine]], a '''family history''' consists of information about disorders that a patient's direct blood relatives have suffered from. [[Genealogy]] typically includes very little of the [[medical history]] of the family, but the medical history could be considered a specific subset of the total history of a family. | In [[medicine]], a '''family history''' consists of information about disorders that a patient's direct blood relatives have suffered from. [[Genealogy]] typically includes very little of the [[medical history]] of the family, but the medical history could be considered a specific subset of the total history of a family. | ||
Latest revision as of 20:30, 13 September 2011
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WikiDoc Resources for Family history |
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Articles |
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Most recent articles on Family history Most cited articles on Family history |
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Media |
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Powerpoint slides on Family history |
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Evidence Based Medicine |
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Clinical Trials |
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Ongoing Trials on Family history at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Family history Clinical Trials on Family history at Google
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Guidelines / Policies / Govt |
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US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Family history NICE Guidance on Family history
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Books |
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News |
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Commentary |
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Definitions |
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Patient Resources / Community |
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Patient resources on Family history Discussion groups on Family history Patient Handouts on Family history Directions to Hospitals Treating Family history Risk calculators and risk factors for Family history
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Healthcare Provider Resources |
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Causes & Risk Factors for Family history |
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Continuing Medical Education (CME) |
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International |
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Business |
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Experimental / Informatics |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Synonyms and Keywords: FH
Overview
In medicine, a family history consists of information about disorders that a patient's direct blood relatives have suffered from. Genealogy typically includes very little of the medical history of the family, but the medical history could be considered a specific subset of the total history of a family.
Definition
A family history of coronary artery disease is defined as the presence of coronary artery disease in a first degree relative < 60 years of age.
Uses
Although often neglected,[1] many doctors glean information on family morbidity of particular diseases (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, mental disorders, diabetes, cancer) to appreciate whether a person is at risk for developing similar problems. Use of a genogram can be helpful in a family history, which is in the format of a family tree.
Family histories may be imprecise because of various possible reasons:
- Adoption or illegitimacy
- Lack of contact between close relatives
- Uncertainty about the relative's exact diagnosis
In complex situations, a family tree may be necessary to cover the necessary aspects.
Consequences
Not all positive family histories imply a genetic cause. If various members of the same family have been exposed to the same toxin, then they may develop similar symptoms without a genetic cause.
If a patient has a strong family history of a particular disorder (or group of disorders), this will generally lead to a lower threshold for investigating symptoms.
In diseases with a known hereditary component, many healthy people are now tested early to prevent the symptoms from developing. This has become accepted in cystic fibrosis, hemochromatosis and various other disorders.
References
- ↑ Rich EC, Burke W, Heaton CJ, Haga S, Pinsky L, Short MP, Acheson L. Reconsidering the family history in primary care. J Gen Intern Med 2004;19:273-80. PMID 15009784.