Family medical history is a record of illnesses and diseases that a patient’s blood relatives have had, which is important in assessing an individual’s risk for many different diseases. It can be difficult to put together, but it is crucial for doctors to decide what types of tests patients should have and when they should have them. However, it is important to remember that exposure to certain chemicals, weight, diet, and exercise habits can also affect a person’s risk of disease.
Family history is a record of illnesses and diseases that a patient’s immediate blood relatives have had. The record should go as far back as accurately traceable, preferably for at least several generations. This story can be thought of as a medical family tree because the genetic relationship between individuals and their health information is important. Family history is critical in assessing an individual’s risk for many different diseases that are thought to have a genetic cause.
For example, early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease is an inherited disorder involving a gene called ApOE. The gene can be inherited from the mother or father. Symptoms of this type of Alzheimer’s disease develop before age 65. Not everyone who has the inherited gene will develop the disorder. The risk factor for early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease is only higher for people with the ApOE connection in their family medical history.
An estimated 5-10% of cancers are inherited. When genetic testing for cancer is done, the DNA of families that have had many members who developed the disease over several generations is studied. A family medical history of cancer and studied patterns of disease in families can help doctors decide what types of tests patients should have and when they should have them. For example, if the suggested age for screening for a certain type of cancer is 60, but a patient’s medical history shows a genetic pattern of the disease, the doctor is likely to decide that the individual should be screened at a much younger age.
It should be noted that putting together a family medical history can be difficult in some cases. For example, a history of alcoholism in a family may be overlooked or not disclosed due to embarrassment or a reluctance to bring up the topic. Family history usually needs to be done by talking to blood relatives. If relatives realize the importance of understanding genetic patterns across a family’s generations to help prevent disease, they are often more likely to disclose private medical information. Most people also believe it is important for couples who have children to know the risks of passing on an inherited condition to their offspring.
Family history is an important part of a patient’s medical records, but it is important to remember that as useful as risk assessment for various diseases can be, it is still only part of determining a patient’s possible future health. Exposure to certain chemicals, as well as a person’s weight, diet, and exercise habits can reduce or increase the risk of disease. For example, many people are genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes, but not all of these individuals will necessarily develop the disease. Studies have shown that people at risk for type 2 diabetes may be able to avoid it through proper nutrition and exercise.
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