Druvith/medqa huggingface dataset:
What is (are) Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. The pancreas contains clusters of cells called islets. Beta cells within the islets make insulin and release it into the blood.
                
Insulin plays a major role in metabolismthe way the body uses digested food for energy. The digestive tract breaks down carbohydratessugars and starches found in many foodsinto glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar that enters the bloodstream. With the help of insulin, cells throughout the body absorb glucose and use it for energy.
                
Insulin's Role in Blood Glucose Control
                
When blood glucose levels rise after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin and glucose then travel in the blood to cells throughout the body.
                
- Insulin helps muscle, fat, and liver cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream, lowering blood glucose levels.  - Insulin stimulates the liver and muscle tissue to store excess glucose. The stored form of glucose is called glycogen.  - Insulin also lowers blood glucose levels by reducing glucose production in the liver.
                
In a healthy person, these functions allow blood glucose and insulin levels to remain in the normal range.
What is (are) Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively. When people have insulin resistance, glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells, leading to type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
                
Most people with insulin resistance don't know they have it for many yearsuntil they develop type 2 diabetes, a serious, lifelong disease. The good news is that if people learn they have insulin resistance early on, they can often prevent or delay diabetes by making changes to their lifestyle.
                
Insulin resistance can lead to a variety of serious health disorders. The section "What is metabolic syndrome?" provides more information about other health disorders linked to insulin resistance.
What causes Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Although the exact causes of insulin resistance are not completely understood, scientists think the major contributors to insulin resistance are excess weight and physical inactivity.
                
Excess Weight
                
Some experts believe obesity, especially excess fat around the waist, is a primary cause of insulin resistance. Scientists used to think that fat tissue functioned solely as energy storage. However, studies have shown that belly fat produces hormones and other substances that can cause serious health problems such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, imbalanced cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
                
Belly fat plays a part in developing chronic, or long-lasting, inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can damage the body over time, without any signs or symptoms. Scientists have found that complex interactions in fat tissue draw immune cells to the area and trigger low-level chronic inflammation. This inflammation can contribute to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and CVD. Studies show that losing the weight can reduce insulin resistance and prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
                
Physical Inactivity
                
Many studies have shown that physical inactivity is associated with insulin resistance, often leading to type 2 diabetes. In the body, more glucose is used by muscle than other tissues. Normally, active muscles burn their stored glucose for energy and refill their reserves with glucose taken from the bloodstream, keeping blood glucose levels in balance.
                
Studies show that after exercising, muscles become more sensitive to insulin, reversing insulin resistance and lowering blood glucose levels. Exercise also helps muscles absorb more glucose without the need for insulin. The more muscle a body has, the more glucose it can burn to control blood glucose levels.
                
Other Causes
                
Other causes of insulin resistance may include ethnicity; certain diseases; hormones; steroid use; some medications; older age; sleep problems, especially sleep apnea; and cigarette smoking.
                

                
Does sleep matter?   Yes. Studies show that untreated sleep problems, especially sleep apnea, can increase the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Night shift workers may also be at increased risk for these problems. Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People may often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when their breathing pauses or becomes shallow. This results in poor sleep quality that causes problem sleepiness, or excessive tiredness, during the day.   Many people aren't aware of their symptoms and aren't diagnosed. People who think they might have sleep problems should talk with their health care provider.   More information about sleep problems is available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/sleep.
What is (are) Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose or A1C levelswhich reflect average blood glucose levelsare higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Prediabetes is becoming more common in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that at least 86 million U.S. adults ages 20 or older had prediabetes in 2012.1 People with prediabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and CVD, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
What are the symptoms of Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Insulin resistance and prediabetes usually have no symptoms. People may have one or both conditions for several years without knowing they have them. Even without symptoms, health care providers can identify people at high risk by their physical characteristics, also known as risk factors. The section "Who should be tested for prediabetes?" lists these risk factors.
                
People with a severe form of insulin resistance may have dark patches of skin, usually on the back of the neck. Sometimes people have a dark ring around their neck. Dark patches may also appear on elbows, knees, knuckles, and armpits. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
What is (are) Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

Metabolic syndrome, also called insulin resistance syndrome, is a group of traits and medical conditions linked to overweight and obesity that puts people at risk for both CVD and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is defined* as the presence of any three of the following2:
                
- large waist sizewaist measurement of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women  - high triglycerides in the bloodtriglyceride level of 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or above, or taking medication for elevated triglyceride level  - abnormal levels of cholesterol in the bloodHDL, or good, cholesterol level below 40 mg/dL for men and below 50 mg/dL for women, or taking medication for low HDL  - high blood pressureblood pressure level of 130/85 or above, or taking medication for elevated blood pressure  - higher than normal blood glucose levelsfasting blood glucose level of 100 mg/dL or above, or taking medication for elevated blood glucose
                
In addition to type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome has been linked to the following health disorders:
                
- obesity  - CVD  - PCOS  - nonalcoholic fatty liver disease  - chronic kidney disease
                
However, not everyone with these disorders has insulin resistance, and some people may have insulin resistance without getting these disorders.
                
People who are obese or who have metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or prediabetes often also have low-level inflammation throughout the body and blood clotting defects that increase the risk of developing blood clots in the arteries. These conditions contribute to increased risk for CVD.
                
*Similar definitions have been developed by the World Health Organization and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
What to do for Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes ? 

- Insulin is a hormone that helps cells throughout the body absorb glucose and use it for energy. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively.  - Insulin resistance increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.  - The major contributors to insulin resistance are excess weight, especially around the waist, and physical inactivity.  - Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose or A1C levelswhich reflect average blood glucose levelsare higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.  - The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study and its follow-up study, the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), confirmed that people with prediabetes can often prevent or delay diabetes if they lose a modest amount of weight by cutting fat and calorie intake and increasing physical activity.  - By losing weight and being more physically active, people can reverse insulin resistance and prediabetes, thus preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes.  - People with insulin resistance and prediabetes can decrease their risk for diabetes by eating a healthy diet and reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, not smoking, and taking medication.  - The DPP showed the diabetes medication metformin to be most effective in preventing or delaying the development of type 2 diabetes in younger and heavier people with prediabetes and women who have had gestational diabetes.
What is (are) Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

Amyloidosis is a rare disease that occurs when amyloid proteins are deposited in tissues and organs. Amyloid proteins are abnormal proteins that the body cannot break down and recycle, as it does with normal proteins. When amyloid proteins clump together, they form amyloid deposits. The buildup of these deposits damages a persons organs and tissues. Amyloidosis can affect different organs and tissues in different people and can affect more than one organ at the same time. Amyloidosis most frequently affects the kidneys, heart, nervous system, liver, and digestive tract. The symptoms and severity of amyloidosis depend on the organs and tissues affected.
What is (are) Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. Every day, the two kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood to produce about 1 to 2 quarts of urine, composed of wastes and extra fluid. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The bladder stores urine. When the bladder empties, urine flows out of the body through a tube called the urethra, located at the bottom of the bladder. In men, the urethra is long, while in women it is short.
What is (are) Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

Primary amyloidosis and dialysis-related amyloidosis are the types of amyloidosis that can affect the kidneys.
                
Primary Amyloidosis of the Kidneys
                
The kidneys are the organs most commonly affected by primary amyloidosis. Amyloid deposits damage the kidneys and make it harder for them to filter wastes and break down proteins. When the kidneys become too damaged, they may no longer be able to function well enough to maintain health, resulting in kidney failure. Kidney failure can lead to problems such as high blood pressure, bone disease, and anemiaa condition in which the body has fewer red blood cells than normal.
                
Dialysis-related Amyloidosis
                
People who suffer from kidney failure and have been on long-term dialysis may develop dialysis-related amyloidosis. This type of amyloidosis occurs when a certain protein, called beta-2 microglobulin, builds up in the blood because dialysis does not remove it completely. The two types of dialysis are
                
- hemodialysis. Hemodialysis uses a special filter called a dialyzer to remove wastes and extra fluid from the blood.  - peritoneal dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the abdominal cavitythe space in the body that holds organs such as the stomach, intestines, and liverto filter the blood.
                
Dialysis-related amyloidosis is a complication of kidney failure because neither hemodialysis nor peritoneal dialysis effectively filters beta-2 microglobulin from the blood. As a result, elevated amounts of beta-2 microglobulin remain in the blood. Dialysis-related amyloidosis is relatively common in people with kidney failure, especially adults older than 60 years of age, who have been on dialysis for more than 5 years.1
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics:
                
- Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Hemodialysis  - Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Peritoneal Dialysis
What are the symptoms of Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

The most common sign of primary amyloidosis of the kidneys is nephrotic syndromea collection of signs that indicate kidney damage. The signs of nephrotic syndrome include
                
- albuminuriaan increased amount of albumin, a protein, in the urine. A person with nephrotic syndrome excretes more than half a teaspoon of albumin per day.  - hyperlipidemiaa condition in which a persons blood has more-than-normal amounts of fats and cholesterol.  - edemaswelling, typically in a persons legs, feet, or ankles and less often in the hands or face.  - hypoalbuminemiaa condition in which a persons blood has less-than-normal amounts of albumin.
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults.
                
Other signs and symptoms of primary amyloidosis may include
                
- fatigue, or feeling tired  - shortness of breath  - low blood pressure  - numbness, tingling, or a burning sensation in the hands or feet  - weight loss
What are the symptoms of Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

The symptoms of dialysis-related amyloidosis may include
                
- pain, stiffness, and fluid in the joints.  - abnormal, fluid-containing sacs, called cysts, in some bones.  - carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by unusual buildup of amyloid proteins in the wrists. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness or tingling, sometimes associated with muscle weakness, in the fingers and hands.
                
Dialysis-related amyloidosis most often affects bones, joints, and the tissues that connect muscle to bone, called tendons. The disease may also affect the digestive tract and organs such as the heart and lungs. Bone cysts caused by dialysis-related amyloidosis can lead to bone fractures. Dialysis-related amyloidosis can also cause tears in tendons and ligaments. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones to other bones.
How to diagnose Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

A health care provider diagnoses primary amyloidosis of the kidneys with
                
- a medical and family history  - a physical exam  - urinalysis  - blood tests  - a kidney biopsy
                
Medical and Family History
                
Taking a medical and family history may help a health care provider diagnose amyloidosis of the kidneys. He or she will ask the patient to provide a medical and family history.
                
Physical Exam
                
A physical exam may help diagnose primary amyloidosis of the kidneys. During a physical exam, a health care provider usually
                
- examines a patients body to check for swelling  - uses a stethoscope to listen to the lungs  - taps on specific areas of the patients body
                
Urinalysis
                
A health care provider may use urinalysisthe testing of a urine sampleto check for albumin and amyloid proteins in urine. The patient provides a urine sample in a special container at a health care providers office or a commercial facility. A nurse or technician can test the sample in the same location or send it to a lab for analysis. More-than-normal amounts of albumin in urine may indicate kidney damage due to primary amyloidosis. Amyloid proteins in urine may indicate amyloidosis.
                
Blood Tests
                
The health care provider may use blood tests to see how well the kidneys are working and to check for amyloid proteins and hyperlipidemia. A blood test involves drawing a patients blood at a health care providers office or a commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. Blood tests for kidney function measure the waste products in the blood that healthy kidneys normally filter out. Hyperlipidemia may indicate nephrotic syndrome. Amyloid proteins in blood may indicate amyloidosis.
                
Kidney Biopsy
                
Only a biopsy can show the amyloid protein deposits in the kidneys. A health care provider may recommend a kidney biopsy if other tests show kidney damage. A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a piece of kidney tissue for examination with a microscope. A health care provider performs a kidney biopsy in a hospital with light sedation and local anesthetic. The health care provider uses imaging techniques such as ultrasound or a computerized tomography (CT) scan to guide the biopsy needle into the kidney and take the tissue sample. A pathologista doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseasesexamines the tissue in a lab for amyloid proteins and kidney damage.
                
The biopsy results can help the health care provider determine the best course of treatment. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Kidney Biopsy.
How to diagnose Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

A health care provider diagnoses dialysis-related amyloidosis with
                
- urinalysis  - blood tests  - imaging tests
                
A health care provider can use urinalysis and blood tests to detect the amount of amyloid proteins in urine and blood. Imaging tests, such as x-rays and CT scans, can provide pictures of bone cysts and amyloid deposits in bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments. An x-ray technician performs imaging tests in a health care providers office, an outpatient center, or a hospital. A radiologista doctor who specializes in medical imaginginterprets the images. A patient does not require anesthesia.
What are the treatments for Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

A health care provider treats primary amyloidosis of the kidneys with the following:
                
- medication therapy, including chemotherapy  - a stem cell transplant  - treating other conditions
                
Medication therapy. The goal of medication therapy, including chemotherapy, is to reduce amyloid protein levels in the blood. Many health care providers recommend combination medication therapy such as
                
- melphalan (Alkeran), a type of chemotherapy  - dexamethasone (Decadron), an anti-inflammatory steroid medication
                
These medications can stop the growth of the cells that make amyloid proteins. These medications may cause hair loss and serious side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
                
Stem cell transplant. A stem cell transplant is a procedure that replaces a patients damaged stem cells with healthy ones. Stem cells are found in the bone marrow and develop into three types of blood cells the body needs. To prepare for a stem cell transplant, the patient receives high doses of chemotherapy. The actual transplant is like a blood transfusion. The transplanted stem cells travel to the bone marrow to make healthy new blood cells. The chemotherapy a patient receives to prepare for the transplant can have serious side effects, so it is important to talk with the health care provider about the risks of this procedure.
                
Read more in What Is a Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant? at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/bmsct.
                
Treating other conditions. Primary amyloidosis has no cure, so treating some of the side effects and other conditions seen with the disease is essential. Other conditions may include
                
- anemiatreatment may include medications  - depressiontreatment may include talking with a mental health counselor and taking medications  - fatiguetreatment may include changes in diet and activity level  - kidney diseasetreatment may include medications to help maintain kidney function or slow the progression of kidney disease
                
A patient and his or her family should talk with the health care provider about resources for support and treatment options.
                
More information about kidney disease is provided in the NIDDK health topic, niddk-kidney disease.
What are the treatments for Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

A health care provider treats dialysis-related amyloidosis with
                
- medication therapy  - newer, more effective hemodialysis filters  - surgery  - a kidney transplant
                
The goal of medication therapy and the use of newer, more effective hemodialysis filters is to reduce amyloid protein levels in the blood. Medication therapy can help reduce symptoms such as pain and inflammation. A health care provider may treat a person with dialysis-related amyloidosis who has bone, joint, and tendon problems, such as bone cysts and carpal tunnel syndrome, using surgery.
                
Dialysis-related amyloidosis has no cure; however, a successful kidney transplant may stop the disease from progressing.
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Transplantation.
What to do for Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease ? 

Researchers have not found that eating, diet, and nutrition play a role in causing or preventing primary amyloidosis of the kidneys or dialysis-related amyloidosis. People with nephrotic syndrome may make dietary changes such as
                
- limiting dietary sodium, often from salt, to help reduce edema and lower blood pressure  - decreasing liquid intake to help reduce edema and lower blood pressure  - eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol to help control more-than-normal amounts of fats and cholesterol in the blood
                
Health care providers may recommend that people with kidney disease eat moderate or reduced amounts of protein. Proteins break down into waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood. Eating more protein than the body needs may burden the kidneys and cause kidney function to decline faster. However, protein intake that is too low may lead to malnutrition, a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients.
                
People with kidney disease on a restricted protein diet should receive blood tests that can show low nutrient levels. People with primary amyloidosis of the kidneys or dialysis-related amyloidosis should talk with a health care provider about dietary restrictions to best manage their individual needs.