Druvith/medqa1 huggingface dataset:
Question:  What are the treatments for Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Peritoneal Dialysis ?
Answer: Your health care team will perform several tests to tell if your dialysis exchanges are removing enough wastes. These tests are especially important during the first weeks of treatment to determine whether your schedule is adequate.
                
Peritoneal Equilibration Test
                
For a peritoneal equilibration test, a dialysis nurse takes samples of your blood and dialysis solution during a 4-hour exchange. The peritoneal equilibration test measures how much dextrose your body absorbs from a bag of dialysis solution. The peritoneal equilibration test also measures how much urea and creatininewaste products of normal muscle and protein breakdownmove from your blood into the dialysis solution.
                
Clearance Test
                
For a clearance test, you will collect the used dialysis solution from a 24-hour period. A dialysis nurse takes a blood sample during the same 24-hour period. Your doctor or nurse compares the amount of urea in the used solution with the amount in your blood to see how much urea was removed. For the first months or even years of peritoneal dialysis treatment, you may still produce small amounts of urine. If you produce more than 100 milliliters (3 ounces) of urine per day, you will also collect your urine to measure its urea content.
                
From the measurements of used solution, blood, and, if available, urine, your health care team can determine your urea clearancea measurement doctors call your Kt/Vand your creatinine clearance rate. These measurements will show whether you are using the right peritoneal dialysis schedule and doses. If your dialysis schedule is not removing enough wastes, your doctor will make adjustments. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Peritoneal Dialysis Dose and Adequacy.
Question:  What to do for Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Peritoneal Dialysis ?
Answer: - Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of your abdomen, or belly, to filter your blood inside your body.  - The two types of peritoneal dialysis are continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and automated peritoneal dialysis.  - The most common problem with peritoneal dialysis is peritonitis, a serious abdominal infection.  - When dialysis solution stays in the body too long, it becomes so full of wastes and extra fluid that it cannot absorb any more from the body. The process may even reverse, letting some wastes and extra fluid back into the body.  - Eating the right foods can help you feel better while on peritoneal dialysis. Talk with your dialysis centers dietitian to find a meal plan that works for you.
Question:  What to do for Facing the Challenges of Chronic Kidney Disease in Children ?
Answer: - Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may have a negative self-image and may have relationship problems with family members due to the stress of living with a chronic disease. The condition can lead to behavior problems and make participating in school and extracurricular activities more difficult.  - CKD can cause learning problems because the buildup of wastes in the body can slow down nerve and brain function. Children with CKD may have trouble concentrating and may develop language and motor skills more slowly than their peers.  - Parents and other adults can help children with CKD fit in at school, deal with low self-esteem, make friends, be physically active, and follow their treatment regimen. As children with CKD approach adulthood, they may need help with preparing to enter the workforce.  - School attendance is vital in helping children with CKD lead the best life possible.  - One way to help children feel empowered is to give them as much control and responsibility over their own care as possible:      - Children can learn more about their medications, including doses.    - Children on dialysis should be encouraged to take an active part in their treatments.    - Parents or guardians should allow children to participate in treatment decision making.    - Participating in regular classroom and extracurricular activities may help children improve their social skills. Summer camps and recreational programs for children with special needs can be a good place to make new friends.  - Parents or guardians may feel protective of children with CKD; however, they should not try to limit activities unless instructed to by a health care provider.   - Children with CKD may need to take multiple medications, eat a specific diet, and follow their health care providers orders to help control their disease. Many children have a hard time following the treatment regimen. Health care providers use the term nonadherence to describe the failure or refusal to take prescribed medications or follow a health care providers directions.  - Adherence can be improved with a combination of health education, motivational techniques, and behavioral skill methods.  - Many skilled professionals are available to ensure that children with CKD get the best possible care. The family may want to talk with a social worker, mental health professional, financial counselor, and dietitian. If a child reaches kidney failure, the medical staff at the dialysis center or transplantation clinic can provide help.  - For children with CKD, learning about nutrition is vital because their diet can affect how well their kidneys work. Parents or guardians should always consult with their childs health care team before making any dietary changes.
Question:  What is (are) Cushing's Syndrome ?
Answer: Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Sometimes called hypercortisolism, Cushing's syndrome is relatively rare and most commonly affects adults aged 20 to 50. People who are obese and have type 2 diabetes, along with poorly controlled blood glucose-also called blood sugar-and high blood pressure, have an increased risk of developing the disorder.
Question:  What are the symptoms of Cushing's Syndrome ?
Answer: Signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome vary, but most people with the disorder have upper body obesity, a rounded face, increased fat around the neck, and relatively slender arms and legs. Children tend to be obese with slowed growth rates.
                
Other signs appear in the skin, which becomes fragile and thin, bruises easily, and heals poorly. Purple or pink stretch marks may appear on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, and breasts. The bones are weakened, and routine activities such as bending, lifting, or rising from a chair may lead to backaches and rib or spinal column fractures.
                
Women with Cushing's syndrome usually have excess hair growth on their face, neck, chest, abdomen, and thighs. Their menstrual periods may become irregular or stop. Men may have decreased fertility with diminished or absent desire for sex and, sometimes, erectile dysfunction.
                
Other common signs and symptoms include
                
- severe fatigue  - weak muscles  - high blood pressure  - high blood glucose  - increased thirst and urination  - irritability, anxiety, or depression  - a fatty hump between the shoulders
                
Sometimes other conditions have many of the same signs as Cushing's syndrome, even though people with these disorders do not have abnormally elevated cortisol levels. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome can cause menstrual disturbances, weight gain beginning in adolescence, excess hair growth, and impaired insulin action and diabetes. Metabolic syndrome-a combination of problems that includes excess weight around the waist, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, and insulin resistance-also mimics the symptoms of Cushing's syndrome.
Question:  What to do for Cushing's Syndrome ?
Answer: - Cushing's syndrome is a disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol.  - Typical signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome include upper body obesity, a rounded face, skin that bruises easily and heals poorly, weakened bones, excess body hair growth and menstrual irregularities in women, and decreased fertility in men.  - Cushing's syndrome is caused by exposure to glucocorticoids, which are used to treat inflammatory diseases, or by the body's overproduction of cortisol, most often due to tumors of the pituitary gland or lung.  - Several tests are usually needed to diagnosis Cushing's syndrome, including urine, blood, and saliva tests. Other tests help find the cause of the syndrome.  - Treatment depends on the specific reason for excess cortisol and may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or the use of cortisol-inhibiting drugs.
Question:  What is (are) Indigestion ?
Answer: Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen.
                
Indigestion is common in adults and can occur once in a while or as often as every day.
Question:  What causes Indigestion ?
Answer: Indigestion can be caused by a condition in the digestive tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, cancer, or abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts. If the condition improves or resolves, the symptoms of indigestion usually improve.
                
Sometimes a person has indigestion for which a cause cannot be found. This type of indigestion, called functional dyspepsia, is thought to occur in the area where the stomach meets the small intestine. The indigestion may be related to abnormal motilitythe squeezing or relaxing actionof the stomach muscle as it receives, digests, and moves food into the small intestine.
Question:  What are the symptoms of Indigestion ?
Answer: Most people with indigestion experience more than one of the following symptoms:
                
- Fullness during a meal. The person feels overly full soon after the meal starts and cannot finish the meal.  - Bothersome fullness after a meal. The person feels overly full after a mealit may feel like the food is staying in the stomach too long.  - Epigastric pain. The epigastric area is between the lower end of the chest bone and the navel. The person may experience epigastric pain ranging from mild to severe.  - Epigastric burning. The person feels an unpleasant sensation of heat in the epigastric area.
                
Other, less frequent symptoms that may occur with indigestion are nausea and bloatingan unpleasant tightness in the stomach. Nausea and bloating could be due to causes other than indigestion.
                
Sometimes the term indigestion is used to describe the symptom of heartburn, but these are two different conditions. Heartburn is a painful, burning feeling in the chest that radiates toward the neck or back. Heartburn is caused by stomach acid rising into the esophagus and may be a symptom of GERD. A person can have symptoms of both indigestion and heartburn.
Question:  How to diagnose Indigestion ?
Answer: To diagnose indigestion, the doctor asks about the person's current symptoms and medical history and performs a physical examination. The doctor may order x rays of the stomach and small intestine.
                
The doctor may perform blood, breath, or stool tests if the type of bacteria that causes peptic ulcer disease is suspected as the cause of indigestion.
                
The doctor may perform an upper endoscopy. After giving a sedative to help the person become drowsy, the doctor passes an endoscopea long, thin tube that has a light and small camera on the endthrough the mouth and gently guides it down the esophagus into the stomach. The doctor can look at the esophagus and stomach with the endoscope to check for any abnormalities. The doctor may perform biopsiesremoving small pieces of tissue for examination with a microscopeto look for possible damage from GERD or an infection.
                
Because indigestion can be a sign of a more serious condition, people should see a doctor right away if they experience
                
- frequent vomiting  - blood in vomit  - weight loss or loss of appetite  - black tarry stools  - difficult or painful swallowing  - abdominal pain in a nonepigastric area  - indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, or arm  - symptoms that persist for more than 2 weeks
Question:  What to do for Indigestion ?
Answer: - Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen.  - Indigestion can be caused by a condition in the digestive tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, cancer, or abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts.  - Sometimes a person has indigestion for which a cause cannot be found. This type of indigestion is called functional dyspepsia.  - Indigestion and heartburn are different conditions, but a person can have symptoms of both.  - The doctor may order x rays; blood, breath, and stool tests; and an upper endoscopy with biopsies to diagnose indigestion.  - Some people may experience relief from indigestion by making some lifestyle changes and decreasing stress.  - The doctor may prescribe antacids, H2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), prokinetics, or antibiotics to treat the symptoms of indigestion.
Question:  What is (are) IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: IgA nephropathy, also known as Bergers disease, is a kidney disease that occurs when IgA deposits build up in the kidneys, causing inflammation that damages kidney tissues. IgA is an antibodya protein made by the immune system to protect the body from foreign substances such as bacteria or viruses. Most people with IgA nephropathy receive care from a nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in treating people with kidney disease.
Question:  What causes IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Scientists think that IgA nephropathy is an autoimmune kidney disease, meaning that the disease is due to the bodys immune system harming the kidneys.
                
People with IgA nephropathy have an increased blood level of IgA that contains less of a special sugar, galactose, than normal. This galactose-deficient IgA is considered foreign by other antibodies circulating in the blood. As a result, these other antibodies attach to the galactose-deficient IgA and form a clump. This clump is also called an immune complex. Some of the clumps become stuck in the glomerulus of the nephron and cause inflammation and damage.
                
For some people, IgA nephropathy runs in families. Scientists have recently found several genetic markers that may play a role in the development of the disease. IgA nephropathy may also be related to respiratory or intestinal infections and the immune systems response to these infections.
Question:  How many people are affected by IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: IgA nephropathy is one of the most common kidney diseases, other than those caused by diabetes or high blood pressure.1
                
IgA nephropathy can occur at any age, although the first evidence of kidney disease most frequently appears when people are in their teens to late 30s.2 IgA nephropathy in the United States is twice as likely to appear in men than in women.3 While found in people all over the world, IgA nephropathy is more common among Asians and Caucasians.4
                
A person may be more likely to develop IgA nephropathy if
                
- he or she has a family history of IgA nephropathy or Henoch-Schnlein purpuraa disease that causes small blood vessels in the body to become inflamed and leak  - he is a male in his teens to late 30s  - he or she is Asian or Caucasian
Question:  What are the symptoms of IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: In its early stages, IgA nephropathy may have no symptoms; it can be silent for years or even decades. Once symptoms appear, the most common one is hematuria, or blood in the urine. Hematuria can be a sign of damaged glomeruli. Blood in the urine may appear during or soon after a cold, sore throat, or other respiratory infection. The amount of blood may be
                
- visible with the naked eye. The urine may turn pink or the color of tea or cola. Sometimes a person may have dark or bloody urine.  - so small that it can only be detected using special medical tests.
                
Another symptom of IgA nephropathy is albuminuriawhen a persons urine contains an increased amount of albumin, a protein typically found in the blood, or large amounts of protein in the urine. Albumin is the main protein in the blood. Healthy kidneys keep most proteins in the blood from leaking into the urine. However, when the glomeruli are damaged, large amounts of protein leak out of the blood into the urine.
                
When albumin leaks into the urine, the blood loses its capacity to absorb extra fluid from the body. Too much fluid in the body may cause edema, or swelling, usually in the legs, feet, or ankles and less often in the hands or face. Foamy urine is another sign of albuminuria. Some people with IgA nephropathy have both hematuria and albuminuria.
                
After 10 to 20 years with IgA nephropathy, about 20 to 40 percent of adults develop end-stage kidney disease.5 Signs and symptoms of end-stage kidney disease may include
                
- high blood pressure  - little or no urination  - edema  - feeling tired  - drowsiness  - generalized itching or numbness  - dry skin  - headaches  - weight loss  - appetite loss  - nausea  - vomiting  - sleep problems  - trouble concentrating  - darkened skin  - muscle cramps
Question:  What are the complications of IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Complications of IgA nephropathy include
                
- high blood pressure  - acute kidney failuresudden and temporary loss of kidney function  - chronic kidney failurereduced kidney function over a period of time  - nephrotic syndromea collection of symptoms that indicate kidney damage; symptoms include albuminuria, lack of protein in the blood, and high blood cholesterol levels  - heart or cardiovascular problems  - Henoch-Schnlein purpura
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics, Kidney Disease and Kidney Failure.
Question:  How to diagnose IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: A health care provider diagnoses kidney disease with
                
- a medical and family history  - a physical exam  - urine tests   - a blood test
                
Medical and Family History
                
Taking a medical and family history may help a health care provider diagnose kidney disease.
                
Physical Exam
                
A physical exam may help diagnose kidney disease. During a physical exam, a health care provider usually
                
- measures the patients blood pressure  - examines the patients body for swelling
                
Urine Tests
                
Dipstick test for albumin and blood. A dipstick test performed on a urine sample can detect the presence of albumin and blood. The patient provides a urine sample in a special container in a health care providers office or a commercial facility. A nurse or technician can test the sample in the same location, or he or she can send it to a lab for analysis. The test involves placing a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the patients urine sample. Patches on the dipstick change color when albumin or blood is present in urine.
                
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. A health care provider uses this measurement, which compares the amount of albumin with the amount of creatinine in a urine sample, to estimate 24-hour albumin excretion. A patient may have chronic kidney disease if the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio is greater than 30 milligrams (mg) of albumin for each gram (g) of creatinine (30 mg/g). This measurement is also called UACR.
                
Blood Test
                
A blood test involves having blood drawn at a health care providers office or a commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. A health care provider may order a blood test to estimate how much blood a patients kidneys filter each minutea measurement called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Depending on the results, the test can indicate the following:
                
- eGFR of 60 or above is in the normal range  - eGFR below 60 may indicate kidney disease  - eGFR of 15 or below may indicate kidney failure
Question:  How to diagnose IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Currently, health care providers do not use blood or urine tests as reliable ways to diagnose IgA nephropathy; therefore, the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy requires a kidney biopsy.
                
A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of kidney tissue for examination with a microscope. A health care provider performs a kidney biopsy in a hospital or an outpatient center with light sedation and a local anesthetic. The health care provider uses imaging techniques such as ultrasound or a computerized tomography scan to guide the biopsy needle into the kidney. A pathologista doctor who specializes in examining tissues to diagnose diseasesexamines the kidney tissue with a microscope. Only a biopsy can show the IgA deposits in the glomeruli. The biopsy can also show how much kidney damage has already occurred. The biopsy results can help the health care provider determine the best course of treatment.
Question:  What are the treatments for IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Researchers have not yet found a specific cure for IgA nephropathy. Once the kidneys are scarred, they cannot be repaired. Therefore, the ultimate goal of IgA nephropathy treatment is to prevent or delay end-stage kidney disease. A health care provider may prescribe medications to
                
- control a persons blood pressure and slow the progression of kidney disease  - remove extra fluid from a persons blood  - control a persons immune system  - lower a persons blood cholesterol levels
                
Control Blood Pressure and Slow Progression of Kidney Disease
                
People with IgA nephropathy that is causing high blood pressure may need to take medications that lower blood pressure and can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medicationsangiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)have proven effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. A person may also need beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications.
                
Remove Extra Fluid
                
A health care provider may prescribe a diuretic, a medication that helps the kidneys remove extra fluid from the blood. Removing the extra fluid can improve the control of blood pressure. Taking a diuretic along with an ACE inhibitor or an ARB often increases the effectiveness of these medications.
                
Control the Immune System
                
Health care providers sometimes use medications to control a persons immune system. Since inflammation is the immune systems normal response, controlling the immune system can decrease inflammation. Health care providers may prescribe the following medications:
                
- corticosteroids, such as prednisone  - cyclophosphamide
                
Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels
                
People with IgA nephropathy may develop high blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the bodys cells, in blood, and in many foods. People who take medications for high blood cholesterol levels can lower their blood cholesterol levels. A health care provider may prescribe one of several cholesterol-lowering medications called statins.