anand-s/m_qalm huggingface dataset:
Question: What if medicines don't work to treat homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: If different combinations of medicine aren't doing the job, your doctor may ask you to try a treatment called apheresis. It removes cholesterol from your blood. It's a little bit like dialysis, the treatment that's used for kidney disease. You go to a clinic or hospital where some of your blood is removed through a tube called a catheter. LDL cholesterol is taken out of your blood before it's returned to your body. The procedure takes several hours, and you'll need to do it regularly.
Question: What happens if no treatments are working for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Sometimes, none of the treatments work. In that case, you might need a liver transplant. The new liver will have normal LDL receptors that will remove the bad cholesterol from your blood. Your doctor will put you on a waiting list for a liver from a donor. A liver transplant is major surgery, and it could take you 6 months to a year before you can return to your regular lifestyle. After your transplant, you'll need to take drugs that prevent your body from rejecting the new liver.
Question: Is having support important if you have homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Make sure you have a support network in place that you can give you an emotional lift when you need it. You can also join a support group to get ideas and help from other people who know what you're going through.
Question: Where can you find more information about medicines and specialists for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: To learn more about homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, visit the web site of the FH Foundation. It's got information about how to join a clinical trial and where to find specialists.
Question: What are common physical symptoms of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: You may have yellow, waxy patches on your skin over the elbows, knees, and buttocks. These are called xanthomas. Yellowish fat deposits called xanthelasmas can develop in your eyelids. Also, you can get gray or white circles around your cornea, the clear front part of the eye.
Question: What do you need to know if you are considering a liver transplant for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: If you're considering a liver transplant, you'll probably need to get some emotional support from family and friends. Support groups can also help by putting you in touch with people who are also getting transplants. Ask your doctor about educational workshops that can help explain what to expect before and after a transplant.
Question: What are questions for your doctor about homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Are there drugs that can help lower my cholesterol? How do you check if my treatment is working? If diet and drugs don't lower my cholesterol, are there other treatments that can help? Will my children inherit my condition?
Question: What are some foods you should avoid if you have homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Try to avoid or limit sources of saturated fat and cholesterol, such as: Red meat Butter Whole milk Coconut and palm oils Egg yolks Try to exercise every day, which also will help control your cholesterol levels.
Question: What do high levels of LDL cholesterol cause?
Answer: When you have high levels of LDL, cholesterol builds up in your arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen to your heart. The cholesterol can eventually block them and shut off the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart, causing a heart attack.
Question: What is the main sign of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: The main sign that you have this condition is very high levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. For instance, you may have a total cholesterol level of 600 points or higher. By comparison, the American Heart Association recommends the ideal total cholesterol number be less than 200.
Question: What causes homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: When you have homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, you inherit two copies of a gene that isn't working right, one from each of your parents. Normally, the liver removes extra LDL cholesterol from the blood using particles called LDL receptors. These receptors attach to LDL cholesterol and play a key role in keeping your cholesterol levels under control. When you have this disease, the faulty gene keeps the LDL receptors from working right. Your cholesterol levels get high.
Question: What are questions your doctor might ask you to help diagnose homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Some symptoms of heart disease you may have include: Chest pain (angina) Rapid heartbeat Shortness of breath Your doctor will do a physical exam and also take some blood tests. To help make a diagnosis, he may ask you: Have you noticed any yellowish patches on your skin? Do you have any chest pain? Have you ever noticed that you're short of breath? Does your heartbeat ever seem rapid? Do your parents have high cholesterol?
Question: What is the main goal of treating homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: The goal is to lower your LDL cholesterol levels, and your risk for heart disease. Your doctor will probably recommend that you stick to a diet that's low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar. He may need to try different combinations of drugs and treatments until he finds one that works best for you.
Question: Is there a cure for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: He may need to try different combinations of drugs and treatments until he finds one that works best for you. You'll need to manage your condition throughout your life.
Question: What should you expect after being diagnosed with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: After your transplant, you'll need to take drugs that prevent your body from rejecting the new liver. While your doctor is trying to find the treatment that works best, you'll probably need to make regular visits to get blood tests to check your cholesterol levels. It's important to be patient and take the time to get the right treatment plan for you. Sometimes your doctor might need to try several different things before your high cholesterol gets under control.
Question: What is homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia makes it harder for your body to remove LDL "bad" cholesterol from your blood. The disease raises your chances of a heart attack at an early age, but drugs and other treatments can lower your risk. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is a disease you're born with.
Question: How do you get homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: It's a serious condition. Without treatment, men with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia can get heart disease in their 40s, and women can get it in their 50s. Since homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia raises your cholesterol to extremely high levels, your doctor may start you on high doses of statin drugs. Two other drugs have been approved for people with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: lomitapide ( Juxtapid) and mipomersen ( Kynamro).
Question: What should you expect for managing homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: There's no cure, so you'll need to take drugs and follow a heart-healthy diet throughout your life. Also, keep the fat in your diet to 30% or less of your daily calories. Sometimes treatments don't work and your heart disease risk remains high. Ask your doctor about joining a clinical trial. These trials test new drugs to see if they're safe and if they work. They often are a way for people to try new medicine that isn't available to everyone.
Question: What tests might your doctor do to help diagnose homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia?
Answer: You may have a blood test to look for the abnormal gene that causes this condition. Your doctor might also want to test some of your close relatives to see if they have the disease. While your doctor is trying to find the treatment that works best, you'll probably need to make regular visits to get blood tests to check your cholesterol levels.
Question: Should I take supplements if I have ulcerative colitis?
Answer: If your doctor has recommended a low-fiber diet, you may miss out on the vitamins and minerals that are naturally in many high-fiber foods. Ask your doctor or dietitian if you should take a supplement.
Question: Why is malnutrition not likely with ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Answer: Your small intestine is where you absorb vitamins, minerals, and proteins. And UC usually doesn't affect that part of your body.
Question: How can keeping a food diary help me manage my ulcerative colitis?
Answer: This should include a variety of foods: Lean meat, fish, and poultry Low-fat dairy products Bread, cereal, and whole grains Fruits and vegetables Healthy fats such as vegetable oils Keep a food diary to help you figure out which foods cause problems for you and whether or not you're getting enough nutrients.
Question: How often should I eat if I lose weight because of ulcerative colitis?
Answer: And loss of appetite or fear of eating can cause you to lose weight or miss out on nutrients.
Question: How many grams of fiber should I get per day to help treat ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Answer: Steaming, baking, or stewing fruits and vegetables before eating them may be easier on your digestive tract than eating them raw.
Question: How can a dietitian help in treating ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Answer: Before you take any dietary supplements, talk to your doctor or dietitian. If you can, keep milk and dairy products in your diet.
Question: Does diet cause ulcerative colitis?
Answer: If you lose weight because of your ulcerative colitis, try to eat five or six small meals and snacks during the day instead of two or three large meals. Probiotics are "good" bacteria that live in your intestines.
Question: Do you need to avoid lactose if you have ulcerative colitis?
Answer: The best time to think about nutrition is when you're not having a flare. But UC doesn't make you more likely to have lactose intolerance. Your doctor can do a simple test to find out.
Question: What is the best diet for ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Answer: Still, it can be tricky to eat a well-balanced diet. This should include a variety of foods: Lean meat, fish, and poultry Low-fat dairy products Bread, cereal, and whole grains Fruits and vegetables Healthy fats such as vegetable oils Keep a food diary to help you figure out which foods cause problems for you and whether or not you're getting enough nutrients.
Question: Why is it hard to eat a well-balanced diet if you have ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Answer: If you lose weight because of your ulcerative colitis, try to eat five or six small meals and snacks during the day instead of two or three large meals. You can also find them in foods like yogurt and in supplements. If you just can't stomach dairy products, your doctor may want you to take calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Question: Do probiotics help if you have ulcerative colitis?
Answer: What you eat doesn't cause or cure ulcerative colitis. Researchers think adding more probiotics to your digestive tract might help treat the disease. In European studies, the probiotic E. coli Nissle helped prevent UC flares, but it isn't available in the U. S. Other studies are testing different probiotics to help control UC. If you and your doctor decide to try probiotics, you'll need to keep taking enough of the right kind for it to work.
Question: Can you get bromelain naturally from foods?
Answer: Bromelain comes from the stem and fruit of the pineapple.
Question: What are side effects of taking bromelain (bromelin)?
Answer: It could interact with certain antibiotics, blood thinners, aspirin and NSAID painkillers, and cancer drugs.
Question: Why do people take bromelain (bromelin)?
Answer: Bromelain seems to reduce inflammation, at least in some cases. When taken along with trypsin and rutin, bromelain appears to help with osteoarthritis, relieving pain and improving joint function. Studies have also found that bromelain might help with knee pain not caused by arthritis, sinus infections (especially when paired with antibiotics), recovery from surgery (like sinus surgery), and colitis. As a cream, it might help relieve rashes and burns.
Question: What are risks of taking bromelain (bromelin)?
Answer: Bromelain can raise the risk of bleeding. Make sure to stop taking it at least two weeks before surgery. Check with a doctor before using bromelain if you have any health conditions, such as a bleeding disorder, asthma, heart problems, liver or kidney disease, or stomach ulcers.
Question: What is bromelain (bromelin)?
Answer: As a supplement, it's often used to ease pain and swelling. There is no standard dose for bromelain.
Question: How much bromelain should you take?
Answer: For swelling, some experts have recommended a range of 80 milligrams to 300 milligrams of extract taken two to three times daily. One or two 200-milligram bromelain tablets are used for knee pain. Ask your health care provider for advice. Bromelain might work best when taken without food. Given the lack of evidence about its safety, bromelain is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Question: What are interactions of bromelain (bromelin)?
Answer: Check with a doctor before using bromelain if you have any health conditions, such as a bleeding disorder, asthma, heart problems, liver or kidney disease, or stomach ulcers. It could interact with certain antibiotics, blood thinners, aspirin and NSAID painkillers, and cancer drugs. Eating potatoes or soybeans when you take bromelain could make it less effective.
Question: When should you get medical help about stage III chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms?
Answer: If you're in stage III of COPD, you typically get problems like: Flare-ups more often More shortness of breath Tired more easily Worse coughing and more mucus You may also have: Colds more often Swelling in your ankles, feet, and legs Tightness in your chest Trouble taking a deep breath Wheezing, rapid breathing, and other breathing issues when doing basic tasks Get medical help right away if you notice any of these symptoms: Faster heartbeat than normal Hard time catching your breath or talking Lips or fingernails turn blue or gray Seem out of it or not very alert ( Your loved ones can keep an eye out for this.)
Question: How is stage III chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated?
Answer: As with stage II, you'll keep using drugs called bronchodilators, which help make breathing easier. You'll still have a pulmonary rehab plan that gives you tailored advice on exercise and other lifestyle issues. You may need to use steroids and antibiotics more often to manage flare-ups. To help you breathe better, you may start oxygen therapy. You breathe in oxygen, through either a mask or small tubes that sit just inside your nose. You might start out using it only at certain times, but it usually ramps up from there.
Question: Who shouldn't take hormone replacement therapy?
Answer: If you have these conditions, you may want to avoid HRT: Blood clots Cancer (such as breast, uterine, or endometrial) Heart or liver disease Heart attack Known or suspected pregnancy Stroke HRT comes with side effects.
Question: What is hormone replacement therapy?
Answer: During menopause, your estrogen levels fall. Some women get uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. HRT (also known as hormone therapy, menopausal hormone therapy, and estrogen replacement therapy) is the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms.
Question: What is vaginal estrogen?
Answer: Topical Estrogen â Creams, gels and sprays offer other ways of getting estrogen into your system. Vaginal estrogen â Vaginal estrogen comes in a cream, vaginal ring, or vaginal estrogen tablets. In general, these treatments are for women who are troubled specifically by vaginal dryness, itchiness, and burning or pain during intercourse.
Question: How can you confirm if you have breast cancer?
Answer: The only way to confirm cancer is for a doctor to do a needle aspiration or surgical breast biopsy to collect and test tissue for cancer cells.
Question: When should you get a mammogram for breast cancer?
Answer: A mammogram can show breast lumps up to 2 years before they can be felt. Different tests help determine if a lump may be cancer. Ones that aren't cancerous tend to have different physical features than ones that are. Imaging tests such as mammograms and ultrasounds can often see the difference. When and if you need these imaging tests is a personal decision between you and your doctor. Most women don't start having mammograms until they're at least 40. If you're at higher risk for breast cancer, your doctor may want you to start at a younger age. For women at average risk, the American Cancer Society recommends that women ages: 45 to 54: Get yearly mammograms. The U. S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammograms every other year for women ages 50-74. The decision to get a mammogram every other year from age 40 to 49 is up to you and your doctor.
Question: Can you do self-exams for breast cancer?
Answer: That's why it's important to get mammograms as recommended, to be familiar with how your breasts usually look, and to report any changes to your doctor ASAP. This depends on: The quality of the test Getting screened as often as you need to Doing what your doctor says afterward It's a good idea to know how your breasts normally look and feel so you can notice any changes. Medical organizations have different recommendations for breast self-exams, though. The American Cancer Society, for example, states that research has not shown a clear benefit of performing regular breast self-exams. Talk with your doctor to get a better sense of what's right for you.
Question: What do you need to do if you're diagnosed with breast cancer?
Answer: It's more often used after you're diagnosed to see how far cancer has spread, but your doctor might combine it with a mammogram as a screening test if: You're at a high risk for breast cancer. Your doctor can help you understand all of these tests, and together you'll decide on the best treatment plan for you.
Question: How can you do self-exams for breast cancer?
Answer: That's why it's important to get mammograms as recommended, to be familiar with how your breasts usually look, and to report any changes to your doctor ASAP. Breast cancer risk is on the rise: The lifetime risk of a woman getting breast cancer in the U. S. was around 5%, or 1 in 20, in 1940. This depends on: The quality of the test Getting screened as often as you need to Doing what your doctor says afterward It's a good idea to know how your breasts normally look and feel so you can notice any changes. Your doctor is most likely to use this if you have dense breasts. It's also an option if you're at high risk for breast cancer and you can't have an MRI or if you're pregnant so you aren't exposed to X-rays from a mammogram. The decision to get a mammogram every other year from age 40 to 49 is up to you and your doctor. The only way to confirm cancer is for a doctor to do a needle aspiration or surgical breast biopsy to collect and test tissue for cancer cells. If you're diagnosed with breast cancer, you and your doctor will need to know what type it is and how advanced it is.
Question: How do I prevent getting infected with tapeworms?
Answer: But they won't kill the eggs, which can still cause infections. Here are some other ways to prevent them: Keep your fingernails clipped short. To help prevent tapeworms, try these things: Don't eat raw or undercooked beef, pork, or fish. If you have a dog with tapeworm, treat it right away.
Question: What is the effectiveness of vitamin C for colds?
Answer: In 2010, researchers looked at all studies and found that taking vitamin C every day did not prevent the number of colds that a person got.
Question: Is it safe to take vitamin C?
Answer: In general, vitamin C won't harm you if you get it by eating food like fruits and veggies. For most people, it's also OK if you take supplements in the recommended amount. Higher doses of vitamin C (greater than 2,000 milligrams per day) may cause kidney stones, nausea, and diarrhea. Talk to your doctor if you're thinking of taking vitamin C pills and let him know about any other dietary supplements you use.
Question: What can I do at times when my pain is worse?
Answer: If you notice that certain activities contribute to your pain, or that you feel worse at certain times of the day, medication can be taken prior to the activity (or time of day) to help prevent the pain from occurring. You may also be prescribed a long-acting pain medication with a short-acting one for breakthrough pain that you take as needed. Always be sure to follow your doctor's instructions.
Question: What are the basic elements of blood?
Answer: Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood. Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells that float in a fluid called plasma: â Your red blood cells deliver oxygen to the various tissues in your body and remove carbon dioxide. â Your white blood cells destroy invaders and fight infection. â Your platelets help your blood to clot. â Your plasma is a fluid made up of proteins and salts. What makes your blood different from someone else's is your unique combination of protein molecules, called antigens and antibodies. Antigens live on the surface of your red blood cells. Antibodies are in your plasma. The combination of antigens and antibodies in your blood is the basis of your blood type.
Question: What is Forteo and how is it used to treat spinal compression fractures?
Answer: Teriparatide ( Forteo), an injectable synthetic hormone that stimulates bone growth and reduces spinal fractures for women with severe osteoporosis Raloxifene ( Evista), an estrogen-like drug that slows bone loss and helps increase bone thickness Zoledronic acid ( Reclast), which is given as a once-yearly 15-minute infusion in a vein; Reclast is said to increase bone strength and reduce fractures in the hip, spine and wrist, arm, leg, or rib Duavee (a combination of estrogen and bazedoxifene), a type of hormone replacement therapy approved to treat menopause-related hot flashes; Duavee may also prevent osteoporosis in high-risk women who have already tried non-estrogen treatment.
Question: What bisphosphonate drugs are used to treat spinal compression fractures?
Answer: Alendronate ( Binosto, Fosamax), ibandronate ( Boniva), and risedronate ( Actonel, Atelvia) can slow bone loss, improve bone density and help prevent fractures. Bisphosphonates can cause bone loss in the jaw, known as osteonecrosis of the jaw. This complication has been linked to the use of these medications for the treatment of osteoporosis. The risk of this occurring is very low; however, people with cancer or people who receive these medications intravenously are at higher risk. Some people complain of numbness, heaviness, and pain in the jaw, usually where a tooth has been extracted. If you have concerns, speak with your dentist.
Question: What is Duavee and how is it used to treat spinal compression fractures?
Answer: Teriparatide ( Forteo), an injectable synthetic hormone that stimulates bone growth and reduces spinal fractures for women with severe osteoporosis Raloxifene ( Evista), an estrogen-like drug that slows bone loss and helps increase bone thickness Zoledronic acid ( Reclast), which is given as a once-yearly 15-minute infusion in a vein; Reclast is said to increase bone strength and reduce fractures in the hip, spine and wrist, arm, leg, or rib Duavee (a combination of estrogen and bazedoxifene), a type of hormone replacement therapy approved to treat menopause-related hot flashes; Duavee may also prevent osteoporosis in high-risk women who have already tried non-estrogen treatment.