Respiratory symptoms and signs

Laennec’s invention of the stethoscope in 1816, and description of auscultatory sounds for clinical diagnosis remain important today. History and examination are pivotal to accurate diagnosis, helped by confirmatory investigations. The key symptoms of respiratory disease are breathlessness, chest pain, cough with associated sputum production, and wheeze. Non-respiratory conditions also produce such symptoms. A systematic approach to history-taking should include all primary symptoms, their time course, characteristics, severity and trajectory.