Is Smoking Part of Medical History?

I often ask as I like to paint the most complete picture of the person possible. There are many conditions that may not be relevant to the particular call, but we document them anyways.....think stents, hyperlipidemia, or GERD for a trip and fall patient.
 
Ahah what ??? are you serious?? In fact, it is more dangerous to smoke cigarettes than using drugs and I'm not joking. I just can’t understand why many people think that smoking is safe and continue to smoke despite the huge amount of evidence that it really kills. Recently I found out that my son smokes and I was very disappointed ... It was a real blow for me because I tried to make him a real man without bad habits ... I decided to talk to him and he regretted his habit, but he couldn’t nothing to do with it because nicotine is very addictive. I decided to try to help him and bought a vape for him and he started smoking a vape instead of cigarettes. It really helps and it’s also safe, so I don’t recommend smoking cigarettes.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Harrish0I2 said:
Ahah what ??? are you serious?? In fact, it is more dangerous to smoke cigarettes than using drugs and I'm not joking. I just can’t understand why many people think that smoking is safe and continue to smoke despite the huge amount of evidence that it really kills. Recently I found out that my son smokes and I was very disappointed ... It was a real blow for me because I tried to make him a real man without bad habits ... I decided to talk to him and he regretted his habit, but he couldn’t nothing to do with it because nicotine is very addictive. I decided to try to help him and bought a vape for him and he started smoking a vape instead of cigarettes. It really helps and it’s also safe, so I don’t recommend smoking cigarettes.
Click to expand...
Vaping is not safe. It may be less of a danger than cigarettes, but it has it's own host of medical problems.

Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products | Electronic Cigarettes | Smoking & Tobacco Use | CDC

CDC is investigating an outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI). Learn CDC’s recommendations, and the latest outbreak information.
www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov
 
Harrish0I2 said:
Ahah what ??? are you serious?? In fact, it is more dangerous to smoke cigarettes than using drugs and I'm not joking. I just can’t understand why many people think that smoking is safe and continue to smoke despite the huge amount of evidence that it really kills. Recently I found out that my son smokes and I was very disappointed ... It was a real blow for me because I tried to make him a real man without bad habits ... I decided to talk to him and he regretted his habit, but he couldn’t nothing to do with it because nicotine is very addictive. I decided to try to help him and bought a vape for him and he started smoking a vape instead of cigarettes. It really helps and it’s also safe, so I don’t recommend smoking cigarettes.
Click to expand...
I suggest you also brush up on the vaping evidence.
 
Bullets said:
I wouldnt ask about obesity, but in the patients PMH section i would put "obese" when relevant. Like you said, social history is history. Its one of the many things my staff doesnt note that annoys me.
Click to expand...

Weight, Height and Calculated BMI are observations. Obesity is a medical diagnosis.
 
joshrunkle35 said:
If they just have a broken leg, then smoking is irrelevant.

If they fell and broke their leg because they suddenly felt short of breath and got dizzy...then, yes, smoking is a relevant question.

Smoking is not a social question. It is a question about chemicals in the body and conditions resulting from damage to the body. I don't ask every patient to detail what vitamins they take, but I do ask some, because sometimes it's relevant. The catch is that we don't always know when it is or isn't relevant until we often already have the information.
Click to expand...

I was WAAAYYY wrong when I posted this several years ago.

Smoking is social history.
 
joshrunkle35 said:
I was WAAAYYY wrong when I posted this several years ago.

Smoking is social history.
Click to expand...

I think you were correct back then, but technically correct now. It depends on the context. Yes, when charting, smoking goes in the social tab. But it is often relevant enough that it should be thrown in along with other PMH in your handoff: "55m w/PMH TD2M, HTN, 50 pk/yr current smoker, presenting with chest pain x2 hours."
 
Gurby said:
I think you were correct back then, but technically correct now. It depends on the context. Yes, when charting, smoking goes in the social tab. But it is often relevant enough that it should be thrown in along with other PMH in your handoff: "55m w/PMH TD2M, HTN, 50 pk/yr current smoker, presenting with chest pain x2 hours."
Click to expand...

Agreed...smoking is as least as important to pay attention to as diabetes is. Vascular surgeons wouldn't have jobs if it weren't for cigarettes....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top