bowang0911/MedQuAD huggingface dataset:
You can take steps to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). If you're at risk for these conditions:
                
See your doctor for regular checkups.
                
Take all medicines as your doctor prescribes.
                
Get out of bed and move around as soon as possible after surgery or illness (as your doctor recommends). Moving around lowers your chance of developing a blood clot.
                
Exercise your lower leg muscles during long trips. This helps prevent blood clots from forming.
                
If you've had DVT or PE before, you can help prevent future blood clots. Follow the steps above and:
                
Take all medicines that your doctor prescribes to prevent or treat blood clots
                
Follow up with your doctor for tests and treatment
                
Use compression stockings as your doctor directs to prevent leg swelling
                
Contact your doctor at once if you have any signs or symptoms of DVT or PE. For more information, go to "What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis?"
                
Travel Tips
                
The risk of developing DVT while traveling is low. The risk increases if the travel time is longer than 4 hours or you have other DVT risk factors.
                
During long trips, it may help to:
                
Walk up and down the aisles of the bus, train, or airplane. If traveling by car, stop about every hour and walk around.
                
Move your legs and flex and stretch your feet to improve blood flow in your calves.
                
Wear loose and comfortable clothing.
                
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol.
                
If you have risk factors for DVT, your doctor may advise you to wear compression stockings while traveling. Or, he or she may suggest that you take a blood-thinning medicine before traveling.
Palpitations (pal-pi-TA-shuns) are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast. You may have these feelings in your chest, throat, or neck. They can occur during activity or even when you're sitting still or lying down.
                
Overview
                
Many things can trigger palpitations, including:
                
Strong emotions
                
Vigorous physical activity
                
Medicines such as diet pills and decongestants
                
Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and illegal drugs
                
Certain medical conditions, such as thyroid disease or anemia (uh-NEE-me-uh)
                
These factors can make the heart beat faster or stronger than usual, or they can cause premature (extra) heartbeats. In these situations, the heart is still working normally. Thus, these palpitations usually are harmless.
                
Some palpitations are symptoms of arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Arrhythmias are problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
                
Some arrhythmias are signs of heart conditions, such as heart attack, heart failure, heart valve disease, or heart muscle disease. However, less than half of the people who have palpitations have arrhythmias.
                
You can take steps to reduce or prevent palpitations. Try to avoid things that trigger them (such as stress and stimulants) and treat related medical conditions.
                
Outlook
                
Palpitations are very common. They usually aren't serious or harmful, but they can be bothersome. If you have them, your doctor can decide whether you need treatment or ongoing care.
Some people may be more likely than others to have palpitations. People at increased risk include those who:
                
Have anxiety or panic attacks, or people who are highly stressed
                
Take certain medicines or stimulants
                
Have certain medical conditions that aren't related to heart problems, such as an overactive thyroid
                
Have certain heart problems, such as arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), a previous heart attack, heart failure, heart valve disease, or heart muscle disease
                
Women who are pregnant, menstruating, or perimenopausal also may be at higher risk for palpitations because of hormonal changes. Some palpitations that occur during pregnancy may be due to anemia.
                
For more information about these risk factors, go to "What Causes Palpitations?"
Symptoms of palpitations include feelings that your heart is:
                
Skipping a beat
                
Fluttering
                
Beating too hard or too fast
                
You may have these feelings in your chest, throat, or neck. They can occur during activity or even when you're sitting still or lying down.
                
Palpitations often are harmless, and your heart is working normally. However, these feelings can be a sign of a more serious problem if you also:
                
Feel dizzy or confused
                
Are light-headed, think you may faint, or do faint
                
Have trouble breathing
                
Have pain, pressure, or tightness in your chest, jaw, or arms
                
Feel short of breath
                
Have unusual sweating
                
Your doctor may have already told you that your palpitations are harmless. Even so, see your doctor again if your palpitations:
                
Start to occur more often or are more noticeable or bothersome
                
Occur with other symptoms, such as those listed above
                
Your doctor will want to check whether your palpitations are the symptom of a heart problem, such as an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Treatment for palpitations depends on their cause. Most palpitations are harmless and often go away on their own. In these cases, no treatment is needed.
                
Avoiding Triggers
                
Your palpitations may be harmless but bothersome. If so, your doctor may suggest avoiding things that trigger them. For examples, your doctor may advise you to:
                
Reduce anxiety and stress. Anxiety and stress (including panic attacks) are a common cause of harmless palpitations. Relaxation exercises, yoga or tai chi, biofeedback or guided imagery, or aromatherapy may help you relax.
                
Avoid or limit stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol.
                
Avoid illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.
                
Avoid medicines that act as stimulants, such as cough and cold medicines and some herbal and nutritional supplements.
                
Treating Medical Conditions That May Cause Palpitations
                
Work with your doctor to control medical conditions that can cause palpitations, such as an overactive thyroid. If you're taking medicine that's causing palpitations, your doctor will try to find a different medicine for you.
                
If your palpitations are caused by an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), your doctor may recommend medicines or procedures to treat the problem. For more information, go to the Health Topics Arrhythmia article.
You can take steps to prevent palpitations. Try to avoid things that trigger them. For example:
                
Reduce anxiety and stress. Anxiety and stress (including panic attacks) are a common cause of harmless palpitations. Relaxation exercises, yoga or tai chi, biofeedback or guided imagery, or aromatherapy may help you relax.
                
Avoid or limit stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol.
                
Avoid illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.
                
Avoid medicines that act as stimulants, such as cough and cold medicines and some herbal and nutritional supplements.
                
Also, work with your doctor to treat medical conditions that can cause palpitations.
Bronchopulmonary (BRONG-ko-PUL-mo-NAR-e) dysplasia (dis-PLA-ze-ah), or BPD, is a serious lung condition that affects infants. BPD mostly affects premature infants who need oxygen therapy (oxygen given through nasal prongs, a mask, or a breathing tube).
                
Most infants who develop BPD are born more than 10 weeks before their due dates, weigh less than 2 pounds (about 1,000 grams) at birth, and have breathing problems. Infections that occur before or shortly after birth also can contribute to BPD.
                
Some infants who have BPD may need long-term breathing support from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) machines or ventilators.
                
Overview
                
Many babies who develop BPD are born with serious respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). RDS is a breathing disorder that mostly affects premature newborns. These infants' lungs aren't fully formed or aren't able to make enough surfactant (sur-FAK-tant).
                
Surfactant is a liquid that coats the inside of the lungs. It helps keep them open so an infant can breathe in air once he or she is born.
                
Without surfactant, the lungs collapse, and the infant has to work hard to breathe. He or she might not be able to breathe in enough oxygen to support the body's organs. Without proper treatment, the lack of oxygen may damage the infant's brain and other organs.
                
Babies who have RDS are treated with surfactant replacement therapy. They also may need oxygen therapy. Shortly after birth, some babies who have RDS also are treated with NCPAP or ventilators (machines that support breathing).
                
Often, the symptoms of RDS start to improve slowly after about a week. However, some babies get worse and need more oxygen or breathing support from NCPAP or a ventilator.
                
If premature infants still require oxygen therapy by the time they reach their original due dates, they're diagnosed with BPD.
                
Outlook
                
Advances in care now make it possible for more premature infants to survive. However, these infants are at high risk for BPD.
                
Most babies who have BPD get better in time, but they may need treatment for months or even years. They may continue to have lung problems throughout childhood and even into adulthood. There's some concern about whether people who had BPD as babies can ever have normal lung function.
                
As children who have BPD grow, their parents can help reduce the risk of BPD complications. Parents can encourage healthy eating habits and good nutrition. They also can avoid cigarette smoke and other lung irritants.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) develops as a result of an infant's lungs becoming irritated or inflamed.
                
The lungs of premature infants are fragile and often aren't fully developed. They can easily be irritated or injured within hours or days of birth. Many factors can damage premature infants' lungs.
                
Ventilation
                
Newborns who have breathing problems or can't breathe on their own may need ventilator support. Ventilators are machines that use pressure to blow air into the airways and lungs.
                
Although ventilator support can help premature infants survive, the machine's pressure might irritate and harm the babies' lungs. For this reason, doctors only recommend ventilator support when necessary.
                
High Levels of Oxygen
                
Newborns who have breathing problems might need oxygen therapy (oxygen given through nasal prongs, a mask, or a breathing tube). This treatment helps the infants' organs get enough oxygen to work well.
                
However, high levels of oxygen can inflame the lining of the lungs and injure the airways. Also, high levels of oxygen can slow lung development in premature infants.
                
Infections
                
Infections can inflame the lungs. As a result, the airways narrow, which makes it harder for premature infants to breathe. Lung infections also increase the babies' need for extra oxygen and breathing support.
                
Heredity
                
Studies show that heredity may play a role in causing BPD. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.
The more premature an infant is and the lower his or her birth weight, the greater the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
                
Most infants who develop BPD are born more than 10 weeks before their due dates, weigh less than 2 pounds (about 1,000 grams) at birth, and have breathing problems. Infections that occur before or shortly after birth also can contribute to BPD.
                
The number of babies who have BPD is higher now than in the past. This is because of advances in care that help more premature infants survive.
                
Many babies who develop BPD are born with serious respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). However, some babies who have mild RDS or don't have RDS also develop BPD. These babies often have very low birth weights and one or more other conditions, such as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and sepsis.
                
PDA is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. Sepsis is a serious bacterial infection in the bloodstream.
Many babies who develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are born with serious respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The signs and symptoms of RDS at birth are:
                
Rapid, shallow breathing
                
Sharp pulling in of the chest below and between the ribs with each breath
                
Grunting sounds
                
Flaring of the nostrils
                
Babies who have RDS are treated with surfactant replacement therapy. They also may need oxygen therapy (oxygen given through nasal prongs, a mask, or a breathing tube).
                
Shortly after birth, some babies who have RDS also are treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) or ventilators (machines that support breathing).
                
Often, the symptoms of RDS start to improve slowly after about a week. However, some babies get worse and need more oxygen or breathing support from NCPAP or a ventilator.
                
A first sign of BPD is when premature infantsusually those born more than 10 weeks earlystill need oxygen therapy by the time they reach their original due dates. These babies are diagnosed with BPD.
                
Infants who have severe BPD may have trouble feeding, which can lead to delayed growth. These babies also may develop:
                
Pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries. These arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen.
                
Cor pulmonale. Cor pulmonale is failure of the right side of the heart. Ongoing high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries and the lower right chamber of the heart causes this condition.
Infants who are born earlyusually more than 10 weeks before their due datesand still need oxygen therapy by the time they reach their original due dates are diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
                
BPD can be mild, moderate, or severe. The diagnosis depends on how much extra oxygen a baby needs at the time of his or her original due date. It also depends on how long the baby needs oxygen therapy.
                
To help confirm a diagnosis of BPD, doctors may recommend tests, such as:
                
Chest x ray. A chest x ray takes pictures of the structures inside the chest, such as the heart and lungs. In severe cases of BPD, this test may show large areas of air and signs of inflammation or infection in the lungs. A chest x ray also can detect problems (such as a collapsed lung) and show whether the lungs aren't developing normally.
                
Blood tests. Blood tests are used to see whether an infant has enough oxygen in his or her blood. Blood tests also can help determine whether an infection is causing an infant's breathing problems.
                
Echocardiography. This test uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. Echocardiography is used to rule out heart defects or pulmonary hypertension as the cause of an infant's breathing problems
Taking steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy might prevent your infant from being born before his or her lungs have fully developed. These steps include:
                
Seeing your doctor regularly during your pregnancy
                
Following a healthy diet
                
Not smoking and avoiding tobacco smoke, alcohol, and illegal drugs
                
Controlling any ongoing medical conditions you have
                
Preventing infection
                
If your doctor thinks that you're going to give birth too early, he or she may give you injections of a corticosteroid medicine.
                
The medicine can speed up surfactant production in your baby. Surfactant is a liquid that coats the inside of the lungs. It helps keep them open so your infant can breathe in air once he or she is born.
                
Usually, within about 24 hours of your taking this medicine, the baby's lungs start making enough surfactant. This will reduce the infant's risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), which can lead to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
                
Corticosteroids also can help your baby's lungs, brain, and kidneys develop more quickly while he or she is in the womb.
                
If your baby does develop RDS, it will probably be fairly mild. If the RDS isn't mild, BPD will likely develop.
Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases have many causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments.
                
In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue.
                
As cardiomyopathy worsens, the heart becomes weaker. It's less able to pump blood through the body and maintain a normal electrical rhythm. This can lead to heart failure or irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. In turn, heart failure can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen.
                
The weakening of the heart also can cause other complications, such as heart valve problems.
                
Overview
                
The types of cardiomyopathy are:
                
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
                
Dilated cardiomyopathy
                
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
                
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
                
Unclassified cardiomyopathy
                
Cardiomyopathy can be acquired or inherited. "Acquired" means you aren't born with the disease, but you develop it due to another disease, condition, or factor. "Inherited" means your parents passed the gene for the disease on to you. Many times, the cause of cardiomyopathy isn't known.
                
Cardiomyopathy can affect people of all ages. However, people in certain age groups are more likely to have certain types of cardiomyopathy. This article focuses on cardiomyopathy in adults.
                
Outlook
                
Some people who have cardiomyopathy have no signs or symptoms and need no treatment. For other people, the disease develops quickly, symptoms are severe, and serious complications occur.
                
Treatments for cardiomyopathy include lifestyle changes, medicines, surgery, implanted devices to correct arrhythmias, and a nonsurgical procedure. These treatments can control symptoms, reduce complications, and stop the disease from getting worse.
Cardiomyopathy can be acquired or inherited. Acquired means you arent born with the disease, but you develop it due to another disease, condition, or factor.
                
Inherited means your parents passed the gene for the disease on to you. Researchers continue to look for the genetic links to cardiomyopathy and to explore how these links cause or contribute to the various types of the disease.
                
Many times, the cause of cardiomyopathy isnt known. This often is the case when the disease occurs in children.
                
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
                
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy usually is inherited. Its caused by a mutation or change in some of the genes in heart muscle proteins. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy also can develop over time because of high blood pressure, aging, or other diseases, such as diabetes or thyroid disease. Sometimes the cause of the disease isnt known.
                
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
                
The cause of dilated cardiomyopathy often isnt known. About one-third of the people who have dilated cardiomyopathy inherit it from their parents.
                
Certain diseases, conditions, and substances also can cause the disease, such as:
                
Alcohol, especially if you also have a poor diet
                
Certain toxins, such as poisons and heavy metals
                
Complications during the last months of pregnancy
                
Coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease, viral hepatitis, and HIV
                
Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, and some medicines used to treat cancer
                
Infections, especially viral infections that inflame the heart muscle
                
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
                
Certain diseases, conditions, and factors can cause restrictive cardiomyopathy, including:
                
Amyloidosis: A disease in which abnormal proteins build up in the bodys organs, including the heart
                
Connective tissue disorders
                
Hemochromatosis: A disease in which too much iron builds up in the body. The extra iron is toxic to the body and can damage the organs, including the heart.
                
Sarcoidosis: A disease that causes inflammation and can affect various organs in the body. Researchers believe that an abnormal immune response may cause sarcoidosis. This abnormal response causes tiny lumps of cells to form in the bodys organs, including the heart.
                
Some cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy
                
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia
                
Researchers think that arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is an inherited disease.
People of all ages and races can have cardiomyopathy. However, certain types of the disease are more common in certain groups.
                
Dilated cardiomyopathy is more common in African Americans than Whites. This type of the disease also is more common in men than women.
                
Teens and young adults are more likely than older people to have arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, although it's rare in both groups.
                
Major Risk Factors
                
Certain diseases, conditions, or factors can raise your risk for cardiomyopathy. Major risk factors include:
                
A family history of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
                
A disease or condition that can lead to cardiomyopathy, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, or a viral infection that inflames the heart muscle
                
Diabetes or other metabolic diseases, or severe obesity
                
Diseases that can damage the heart, such as hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis, or amyloidosis
                
Long-term alcoholism
                
Long-term high blood pressure
                
Some people who have cardiomyopathy never have signs or symptoms. Thus, it's important to identify people who may be at high risk for the disease. This can help prevent future problems, such as serious arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) or SCA.
Some people who have cardiomyopathy never have signs or symptoms. Others don't have signs or symptoms in the early stages of the disease.
                
As cardiomyopathy worsens and the heart weakens, signs and symptoms of heart failure usually occur. These signs and symptoms include:
                
Shortness of breath or trouble breathing, especially with physical exertion
                
Fatigue (tiredness)
                
Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and veins in the neck
                
Other signs and symptoms may include dizziness; light-headedness; fainting during physical activity; arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats); chest pain, especially after physical exertion or heavy meals; and heart murmurs. (Heart murmurs are extra or unusual sounds heard during a heartbeat.)