anamnees

Anamnees, often rendered as anamnese or anamnesis in medical literature, denotes the systematic collection of a patient’s medical history. The term derives from the Greek anamnēsis, meaning recollection, and in clinical contexts it refers to the interview and record by which clinicians gather information about a patient’s past and current health, symptoms, and risk factors. In English usage, anamnesis typically describes the process, while the resulting compilation is called the medical history.

Key components commonly included are: chief complaint, history of present illness, past medical and surgical history, current medications and allergies, family history, social history (including tobacco, alcohol and substance use), systems review, and relevant psychosocial factors. The depth and structure depend on setting, patient age, and presenting problem. Some specialties use standardized history-taking tools or checklists to ensure consistency and safety.

Anamnesis is obtained during the patient interview, with clinicians using open-ended questions, active listening, and clarification; information may also be provided by caregivers or medical records. The accuracy depends on recall, understanding, and communication; cognitive impairment, language barriers, and time constraints can limit usefulness. The anamnesis guides diagnostic testing, initial management, risk stratification, and patient counseling, and is frequently revisited as new information emerges.

Although “anamnees” is not a standard English term, it may appear as a variant spelling or within non-English medical literature; in German the term is Anamnese, in French Anamnèse, and in English Anamnesis. Clinicians distinguish subjective history from objective findings obtained by examination and tests.

See also medical history; history taking; anamnesis in philosophy.