M in SAMPLE stands for what?

• A. Medications
• B. Medical History
• C. Mobility
• D. Mood

Answer: (A)

In the SAMPLE assessment, the M stands for Medications—the drugs the person is currently taking, including prescription meds, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Knowing what medications the patient uses helps you anticipate how these drugs might affect their condition or your treatment. For example, anticoagulants can make injuries bleed more, insulin or other diabetes meds raise the risk of hypoglycemia, and certain heart or blood pressure medicines can alter heart rate and blood pressure responses. It also helps avoid drug interactions with any emergency treatments you might give.

Medical history, mobility, and mood aren’t what M represents in this mnemonic, though past medical history is important in other contexts. Medications is the specific focus of this letter in the acronym.