Druvith/medqa huggingface dataset:
What causes High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Many things can affect the level of cholesterol in your blood. You can control some of these things but not others. What You Can Control You can control - what you eat  - your weight  - your activity level. what you eat your weight your activity level. Your Diet Certain foods have several types of fat that raise your cholesterol level. - Saturated fat increases your LDL cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet.  Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, and milk products, including butter, cream and cheese. These foods also contain cholesterol. Saturated fat increases your LDL cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet.  Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, and milk products, including butter, cream and cheese. These foods also contain cholesterol. -   Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, also raise your LDL cholesterol level.  These mostly come from vegetable oil that has gone through a process called hydrogenation to make it hard. Examples of foods containing trans fats include many convenience foods such as doughnuts, French fries, cookies, cakes and pastries.  Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, also raise your LDL cholesterol level.  These mostly come from vegetable oil that has gone through a process called hydrogenation to make it hard. Examples of foods containing trans fats include many convenience foods such as doughnuts, French fries, cookies, cakes and pastries. Your Weight Being overweight tends to - increase your LDL level  - lower your HDL level  - increase your total cholesterol level. increase your LDL level lower your HDL level increase your total cholesterol level. Your Activity Level If you don't exercise regularly, you may gain weight. This could increase your LDL cholesterol level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your LDL level. It can also help you increase your HDL level. What You Cannot Control You cannot control some things that can affect the level of cholesterol in your blood, including - your heredity  - your age  - your sex. your heredity your age your sex. High blood cholesterol can run in families. For most people, their cholesterol level is the result of an interaction between their genes and their lifestyles. As we get older, our cholesterol levels rise. - Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.  - After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to increase. Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to increase.
What are the symptoms of High Blood Cholesterol ? 

High blood cholesterol usually does not have any signs or symptoms. Many people don't know that their cholesterol levels are too high. Who Should Be Tested Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol levels checked at least once every 5 years. If your cholesterol level is high, you will have to be tested more often. You and your doctor should discuss how often you should be tested. Your doctor will take a sample of blood from a vein in your arm and send it to the laboratory to find out the level of cholesterol in your blood. Cholesterol Tests The recommended test is called a fasting lipoprotein profile. It will show your - total cholesterol  - LDL (bad) cholesterol, the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in your arteries  - HDL (good) cholesterol, which helps keep cholesterol from building up in your arteries  - triglycerides, another form of fat in your blood. total cholesterol LDL (bad) cholesterol, the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in your arteries HDL (good) cholesterol, which helps keep cholesterol from building up in your arteries triglycerides, another form of fat in your blood. You should not eat or drink anything except water or black coffee for 9 to 12 hours before taking the test. If you can't have a lipoprotein profile done, a different blood test will tell you your total cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol levels. You do not have to fast before this test. If this test shows that your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher, or that your HDL (good) cholesterol is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done. Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. The levels of blood cholesterol that are most important to know appear below. Ranges for Total Cholesterol Levels Here are the ranges for total cholesterol levels. Do you know how your cholesterol numbers compare? Ranges for LDL Cholesterol Levels Here are the ranges for LDL cholesterol levels. Do you know how your LDL cholesterol level compares? Ranges for HDL Cholesterol Levels Here are the ranges for HDL cholesterol levels. Do you know how your HDL cholesterol level compares? Triglyceride Levels A lipoprotein profile will also show the level of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are another kind of fat that your liver makes. They can also signal an increased chance of developing heart disease. Normal levels of triglycerides are less than 150 mg/dl. If your triglyceride levels are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more), you may need treatment. Things that can increase your triglyceride levels include - overweight  - physical inactivity  - cigarette smoking  - excessive alcohol use  - diabetes. overweight physical inactivity cigarette smoking excessive alcohol use diabetes. Other things that can increase your triglyceride levels include - a very high carbohydrate diet  - certain diseases and drugs  - genetic disorders. a very high carbohydrate diet certain diseases and drugs genetic disorders.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your liver makes. It is also found in some foods that come from animals.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins. (Lipoproteins are molecules that carry cholesterol through your bloodstream.) LDL cholesterol is sometimes called bad cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries and make them narrower. This buildup of cholesterol is called plaque. Over time, plaque can build up so much that it narrows your arteries. This is called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood, the greater your chances of getting heart disease.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins. (Lipoproteins are molecules that carry cholesterol through your bloodstream.) HDL cholesterol is sometimes called good cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from your artery walls and carries it to your liver. The liver then removes the cholesterol from your body. The higher your HDL cholesterol level, the lower your chances of getting heart disease.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Too much cholesterol in your blood is called high blood cholesterol. It can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol does not cause symptoms, so you may not be aware that your cholesterol level is too high.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Triglycerides are another kind of fat that your liver makes. They can also signal an increased chance of developing heart disease.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries. This buildup of cholesterol is called plaque. Over time, the plaque can build up so much that the arteries become narrower. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. It can slow down or block the flow of blood to your heart.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

The coronary arteries bring blood to your heart. If plaque builds up in these arteries, the blood may not be able to bring enough oxygen to the heart muscle. This is called coronary heart disease.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

You can control - what you eat.  Foods containing saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol raise your cholesterol. what you eat.  Foods containing saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol raise your cholesterol. -  your weight.  Being overweight tends to increase your LDL level, reduce your HDL level, and increase your total cholesterol level.  your weight.  Being overweight tends to increase your LDL level, reduce your HDL level, and increase your total cholesterol level. - your activity level.  If you don't exercise regularly, you may gain weight. This could increase your LDL level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your LDL level. It can also help you increase your HDL level. your activity level.  If you don't exercise regularly, you may gain weight. This could increase your LDL level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your LDL level. It can also help you increase your HDL level.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

You cannot control - heredity. High blood cholesterol can run in families.  - age. As we get older, our cholesterol levels rise.  - sex. Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to increase. heredity. High blood cholesterol can run in families. age. As we get older, our cholesterol levels rise. sex. Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to increase.
How to diagnose High Blood Cholesterol ? 

The recommended blood test for checking your cholesterol levels is called a fasting lipoprotein profile. It will show your - total cholesterol  - low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol -- the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries  - high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol that helps keep cholesterol from building up in your arteries  - triglycerides -- another form of fat in your blood. total cholesterol low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol -- the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol that helps keep cholesterol from building up in your arteries triglycerides -- another form of fat in your blood. You should not eat or drink anything except water and black coffee for 9 to 12 hours before taking the test. If you can't have a lipoprotein profile done, a different blood test will tell you your total cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol levels. You do not have to fast before this test. If this test shows that your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher, or that your HDL (good) cholesterol is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

A desirable level for total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL. Here are the ranges for total cholesterol levels. Do you know how your total cholesterol level compares?
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

A desirable level for LDL (bad) cholesterol is under 100 mg/dL. Here are the ranges for LDL cholesterol levels. Do you know how your LDL level compares?
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

An HDL (good) cholesterol level more than 60 mg/dL is desirable for most people. Here are the ranges for HDL cholesterol levels. Do you know how your HDL cholesterol level compares?
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

A lipoprotein profile will also show the level of triglycerides in your blood. A desirable level is less than 150mg/dL. If the triglycerides in your blood are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL), or high (200 mg/dL or more), you may need treatment.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Your LDL goal is how low your LDL cholesterol level should be to reduce your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. The higher your risk, the lower your goal LDL should be. Your doctor will set your LDL goal using your medical history and the number of risk factors that you have.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

Your LDL cholesterol goal level depends on your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack at the time you start treatment. Major risk factors that affect your LDL goal include - cigarette smoking  - high blood pressure (140/90 mmHg or higher), or being on blood pressure medicine  - low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL)  - family history of early heart disease (heart disease in father or brother before age 55; heart disease in mother or sister before age 65)  - age (men 45 years or older; women 55 years or older). cigarette smoking high blood pressure (140/90 mmHg or higher), or being on blood pressure medicine low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL) family history of early heart disease (heart disease in father or brother before age 55; heart disease in mother or sister before age 65) age (men 45 years or older; women 55 years or older).
What are the treatments for High Blood Cholesterol ? 

The main goal of cholesterol-lowering treatment is to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level enough to reduce your risk of having a heart attack or diseases caused by narrowing of the arteries.
What are the treatments for High Blood Cholesterol ? 

There are two main ways to lower your cholesterol: Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes and medicines.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

TLC stands for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes. It is a set of lifestyle changes that can help you lower your LDL cholesterol. TLC has three main parts: a cholesterol-lowering diet, weight management, and physical activity. The TLC Diet recommends - reducing the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol you eat.  - eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.  - increasing the soluble fiber in your diet by eating foods such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples.  - adding cholesterol-lowering foods, such as juices or margarines that contain plant sterols or stanols that lower cholesterol. reducing the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol you eat. eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. increasing the soluble fiber in your diet by eating foods such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples. adding cholesterol-lowering foods, such as juices or margarines that contain plant sterols or stanols that lower cholesterol. Weight management is an important part of TLC. Losing weight if you are overweight can help lower LDL cholesterol. Weight management is especially important for people who have a group of risk factors that includes high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels, being overweight, and having too large a waist. Too large a waist is defined as a waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women. Physical activity is another important part of TLC. Regular physical activity is recommended for everyone. It can help raise HDL levels and lower LDL levels. It is especially important for people with high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels who are overweight and/or have a large waist measurement.
What is (are) High Blood Cholesterol ? 

If TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) cannot lower your LDL cholesterol level enough by itself, your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medicines. The following medicines are used together with TLC to help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. - statins  - ezetimibe  - bile acid sequestrants  - nicotinic acid  - fibrates. statins ezetimibe bile acid sequestrants nicotinic acid fibrates. Statins  - are very effective in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels   - are safe for most people  - have side effects that are infrequent, but potentially serious such as liver and muscle problems. are very effective in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are safe for most people have side effects that are infrequent, but potentially serious such as liver and muscle problems. Ezetimibe - lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol   - may be used with statins or alone  -  acts within the intestine to block absorption of cholesterol. lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol may be used with statins or alone acts within the intestine to block absorption of cholesterol. Bile acid sequestrants - lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels  - are sometimes prescribed with statins  - are not usually prescribed alone to lower cholesterol. lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are sometimes prescribed with statins are not usually prescribed alone to lower cholesterol. Nicotinic acid - lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and raises HDL (good) cholesterol  - should be used only under a doctor's supervision. lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and raises HDL (good) cholesterol should be used only under a doctor's supervision. Fibrates - mainly lower triglycerides  - may increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels  - may increase the risk of muscle problems when used with a statin. mainly lower triglycerides may increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels may increase the risk of muscle problems when used with a statin.
What are the treatments for Lung Cancer ? 

There are many treatment options for lung cancer, mainly based on the extent of the disease. The choice of treatment depends on your age and general health, the stage of the cancer, whether or not it has spread beyond the lung, and other factors. If tests show that you have cancer, you should talk with your doctor and make treatment decisions as soon as possible. Studies show that early treatment leads to better outcomes. Working With a Team of Specialists A team of specialists often treats people with cancer. The team will keep the primary doctor informed about the patient's progress. The team may include a medical oncologist who is a specialist in cancer treatment, a surgeon, a radiation oncologist who is a specialist in radiation therapy, a thoracic surgeon who is a specialist in operating on organs in the chest, including the lungs, and others. Before starting treatment, you may want another doctor to review the diagnosis and treatment plan. Some insurance companies require a second opinion. Others may pay for a second opinion if you request it. Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer Some lung cancer patients take part in studies of new treatments. These studies, called clinical trials, are designed to find out whether a new treatment is safe and effective. Often, clinical trials compare a new treatment with a standard one so that doctors can learn which is more effective. People with lung cancer who are interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. The U.S. National Institutes of Health, through its National Library of Medicine and other Institutes, maintains a database of clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov. Click here to see a list of the current clinical trials on lung cancer. A separate window will open. Click the "x" in the upper right hand corner of the "Clinical Trials" window to return here.
what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Lung Cancer ? 

Researchers continue to look at new ways to combine, schedule, and sequence the use of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat lung cancer. Today, some of the most promising treatment approaches incorporate precision medicine. This approach first looks to see what genes may be mutated that are causing the cancer, and once these genes are identified, specific drugs may be available that target the mutations and treat the cancer directly without the harsh side-effects often found with conventional chemotherapy. Researchers are also constantly trying to come up with new ways to find and diagnose lung cancer in order to catch it and treat it in its earliest stages. The National Lung Screening Trial, or NLST, showed conclusively that spiral CT reduced the risk of dying by 20 percent compared to those who received a chest x-ray among heavy smokers Get more information on current lung cancer research.
What is (are) Lung Cancer ? 

The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Sometimes, however, the process goes wrong -- cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benign, meaning not cancerous, or malignant, meaning cancerous.
What is (are) Lung Cancer ? 

Lung cancer occurs when malignant tumors form in the tissue of the lung. The lungs are a pair of sponge-like organs. The right lung has three sections, called lobes, and is larger than the left lung, which has two lobes.
What is (are) Lung Cancer ? 

There are two major types of lung cancer -- non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways, and each is treated differently. Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. It generally grows and spreads slowly.  Learn more about non-small cell carcinoma.  Small cell lung cancer,  sometimes called oat cell cancer, grows more quickly and is more likely to spread to other organs in the body.  Learn more about small cell carcinoma.
What causes Lung Cancer ? 

Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Scientists have reported widely on the link between cancer and smoking since the 1960s. Since then, study after study has provided more proof that cigarette smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer. Before cigarette smoking became popular after World War I, doctors rarely, if ever, saw patients with lung cancer. But today, lung cancer is the leading cause of death by cancer. Over 85 percent of people with lung cancer developed it because they smoked cigarettes. Using tobacco products has been shown to cause many types of cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco, using smokeless tobacco, and being exposed regularly to second-hand tobacco smoke are responsible for a large number of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ? 

Risk factors that increase your chance of getting lung cancer include - cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking, which account for well over half of all cases of lung cancer  - secondhand smoke  - family history  - HIV infection  - environmental risk factors  - beta carotene supplements in heavy smokers. cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking, which account for well over half of all cases of lung cancer secondhand smoke family history HIV infection environmental risk factors beta carotene supplements in heavy smokers.
Who is at risk for Lung Cancer? ? 

If you smoke cigarettes, you are at much higher risk for lung cancer than a person who has never smoked. The risk of dying from lung cancer is 23 times higher for men who smoke and 13 times higher for women who smoke than for people who have never smoked. Stopping smoking greatly reduces your risk for developing lung cancer. But after you stop, the risk goes down slowly. Ten years after the last cigarette, the risk of dying from lung cancer drops by 50 percent. Each U.S. state and territory has a free quitline to provide you with information and resources to help you quit smoking. To reach the quitline in your area, dial toll-free, 1-800-QUIT-NOW. (Watch the video to learn about the effect smoking can have on an older adult's health. To enlarge the video, click the brackets in the lower right-hand corner. To reduce the video, press the Escape (Esc) button on your keyboard.)
What causes Lung Cancer ? 

Some studies suggest that non-smokers who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, also called secondhand smoke, are at increased risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke is the smoke that non-smokers are exposed to when they share air space with someone who is smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer. Since 1964, approximately 2,500,000 nonsmokers have died from health problems caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.  Learn more about the effects of secondhand smoke.  Learn more about the chemicals found in cigarettes.