falan42/medcuad_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Narcolepsy
Question: What causes Narcolepsy ?
Answer: Most people who have narcolepsy have low levels of hypocretin. This is a chemical in the brain that helps promote wakefulness. What causes low hypocretin levels isn't well understood.
                
Researchers think that certain factors may work together to cause a lack of hypocretin. These factors may include:
                
Heredity. Some people may inherit a gene that affects hypocretin. Up to 10 percent of people who have narcolepsy report having a relative who has the same symptoms.
                
Infections.
                
Brain injuries caused by conditions such as brain tumors, strokes, or trauma (for example, car accidents or military-related wounds).
                
Autoimmune disorders. With these disorders, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the body's cells and tissues. An example of an autoimmune disorder is rheumatoid arthritis.
                
Low levels of histamine, a substance in the blood that promotes wakefulness.
                
Some research suggests that environmental toxins may play a role in triggering narcolepsy. Toxins may include heavy metals, pesticides and weed killers, and secondhand smoke.
                
Heredity alone doesn't cause narcolepsy. You also must have at least one other factor, such as one of those listed above, to develop narcolepsy.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Narcolepsy
Question: Who is at risk for Narcolepsy? ?
Answer: Narcolepsy affects men and women. Symptoms usually begin during the teen or young adult years. The disorder also can develop later in life or in children, but it's rare before age 5.
                
Researchers think that certain factors may work together to cause narcolepsy. If these factors affect you, you may be at higher risk for the disorder. (For more information, go to "What Causes Narcolepsy?")
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Narcolepsy
Question: What are the treatments for Narcolepsy ?
Answer: Narcolepsy has no cure. However, medicines, lifestyle changes, and other therapies can relieve many of its symptoms. Treatment for narcolepsy is based on the type of symptoms you have and how severe they are.
                
Not all medicines and lifestyle changes work for everyone. It may take weeks to months for you and your doctor to find the best treatment.
                
Medicines
                
You may need one or more medicines to treat narcolepsy symptoms. These may include:
                
Stimulants to ease daytime sleepiness and raise your alertness.
                
A medicine that helps make up for the low levels of hypocretin in your brain. (Hypocretin is a chemical that helps promote wakefulness.) This medicine helps you stay awake during the day and sleep at night. It doesn't always completely relieve daytime sleepiness, so your doctor may tell you to take it with a stimulant.
                
Medicines that help you sleep at night.
                
Medicines used to treat depression. These medicines also help prevent cataplexy, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.
                
Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines can interfere with your sleep. Ask your doctor about these medicines and how to avoid them, if possible. For example, your doctor may advise you to avoid antihistamines. These medicines suppress the action of histamine, a substance in the blood that promotes wakefulness.
                
If you take regular naps when you feel sleepy, you may need less medicine to stay awake.
                
Lifestyle Changes
                
Lifestyle changes also may help relieve some narcolepsy symptoms. You can take steps to make it easier to fall asleep at night and stay asleep.
                
Follow a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
                
Do something relaxing before bedtime, such as taking a warm bath.
                
Keep your bedroom or sleep area quiet, comfortable, dark, and free from distractions, such as a TV or computer.
                
Allow yourself about 20 minutes to fall asleep or fall back asleep after waking up. After that, get up and do something relaxing (like reading) until you get sleepy.
                
Certain activities, foods, and drinks before bedtime can keep you awake. Try to follow these guidelines:
                
Exercise regularly, but not within 3 hours of bedtime.
                
Avoid tobacco, alcohol, chocolate, and drinks that contain caffeine for several hours before bedtime.
                
Avoid large meals and beverages just before bedtime.
                
Avoid bright lights before bedtime.
                
For more tips on sleeping better, go to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Your Guide to Healthy Sleep."
                
Other Therapies
                
Light therapy may help you keep a regular sleep and wake schedule. For this type of therapy, you sit in front of a light box, which has special lights, for 10 to 30 minutes. This therapy can help you feel less sleepy in the morning.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: What is (are) Bronchitis ?
Answer: Espaol
                
Bronchitis (bron-KI-tis) is a condition in which the bronchial tubes become inflamed. These tubes carry air to your lungs. (For more information about the bronchial tubes and airways, go to the Diseases and Conditions Index How the Lungs Work article.)
                
People who have bronchitis often have a cough that brings up mucus. Mucus is a slimy substance made by the lining of the bronchial tubes. Bronchitis also may cause wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe), chest pain or discomfort, a low fever, and shortness of breath.
                
Bronchitis
                

                
Overview
                
The two main types of bronchitis are acute (short term) and chronic (ongoing).
                
Acute Bronchitis
                
Infections or lung irritants cause acute bronchitis. The same viruses that cause colds and the flu are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. These viruses are spread through the air when people cough. They also are spread through physical contact (for example, on hands that have not been washed).
                
Sometimes bacteria cause acute bronchitis.
                
Acute bronchitis lasts from a few days to 10 days. However, coughing may last for several weeks after the infection is gone.
                
Several factors increase your risk for acute bronchitis. Examples include exposure to tobacco smoke (including secondhand smoke), dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution. Avoiding these lung irritants as much as possible can help lower your risk for acute bronchitis.
                
Most cases of acute bronchitis go away within a few days. If you think you have acute bronchitis, see your doctor. He or she will want to rule out other, more serious health conditions that require medical care.
                
Chronic Bronchitis
                
Chronic bronchitis is an ongoing, serious condition. It occurs if the lining of the bronchial tubes is constantly irritated and inflamed, causing a long-term cough with mucus. Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis.
                
Viruses or bacteria can easily infect the irritated bronchial tubes. If this happens, the condition worsens and lasts longer. As a result, people who have chronic bronchitis have periods when symptoms get much worse than usual.
                
Chronic bronchitis is a serious, long-term medical condition. Early diagnosis and treatment, combined with quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke, can improve quality of life. The chance of complete recovery is low for people who have severe chronic bronchitis.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: What causes Bronchitis ?
Answer: Acute Bronchitis
                
Infections or lung irritants cause acute bronchitis. The same viruses that cause colds and the flu are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. Sometimes bacteria can cause the condition.
                
Certain substances can irritate your lungs and airways and raise your risk for acute bronchitis. For example, inhaling or being exposed to tobacco smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, or air pollution raises your risk for the condition. These lung irritants also can make symptoms worse.
                
Being exposed to a high level of dust or fumes, such as from an explosion or a big fire, also may lead to acute bronchitis.
                
Chronic Bronchitis
                
Repeatedly breathing in fumes that irritate and damage lung and airway tissues causes chronic bronchitis. Smoking is the major cause of the condition.
                
Breathing in air pollution and dust or fumes from the environment or workplace also can lead to chronic bronchitis.
                
People who have chronic bronchitis go through periods when symptoms become much worse than usual. During these times, they also may have acute viral or bacterial bronchitis.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: Who is at risk for Bronchitis? ?
Answer: Bronchitis is a very common condition. Millions of cases occur every year.
                
Elderly people, infants, and young children are at higher risk for acute bronchitis than people in other age groups.
                
People of all ages can develop chronic bronchitis, but it occurs more often in people who are older than 45. Also, many adults who develop chronic bronchitis are smokers. Women are more than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis.
                
Smoking and having an existing lung disease greatly increase your risk for bronchitis. Contact with dust, chemical fumes, and vapors from certain jobs also increases your risk for the condition. Examples include jobs in coal mining, textile manufacturing, grain handling, and livestock farming.
                
Air pollution, infections, and allergies can worsen the symptoms of chronic bronchitis, especially if you smoke.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: What are the symptoms of Bronchitis ?
Answer: Acute Bronchitis
                
Acute bronchitis caused by an infection usually develops after you already have a cold or the flu. Symptoms of a cold or the flu include sore throat, fatigue (tiredness), fever, body aches, stuffy or runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea.
                
The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a persistent cough, which may last 10 to 20 days. The cough may produce clear mucus (a slimy substance). If the mucus is yellow or green, you may have a bacterial infection as well. Even after the infection clears up, you may still have a dry cough for days or weeks.
                
Other symptoms of acute bronchitis include wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe), low fever, and chest tightness or pain.
                
If your acute bronchitis is severe, you also may have shortness of breath, especially with physical activity.
                
Chronic Bronchitis
                
The signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis include coughing, wheezing, and chest discomfort. The coughing may produce large amounts of mucus. This type of cough often is called a smoker's cough.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: How to diagnose Bronchitis ?
Answer: Your doctor usually will diagnose bronchitis based on your signs and symptoms. He or she may ask questions about your cough, such as how long you've had it, what you're coughing up, and how much you cough.
                
Your doctor also will likely ask:
                
About your medical history
                
Whether you've recently had a cold or the flu
                
Whether you smoke or spend time around others who smoke
                
Whether you've been exposed to dust, fumes, vapors, or air pollution
                
Your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe) or other abnormal sounds in your lungs. He or she also may:
                
Look at your mucus to see whether you have a bacterial infection
                
Test the oxygen levels in your blood using a sensor attached to your fingertip or toe
                
Recommend a chest x ray, lung function tests, or blood tests
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: What are the treatments for Bronchitis ?
Answer: The main goals of treating acute and chronic bronchitis are to relieve symptoms and make breathing easier.
                
If you have acute bronchitis, your doctor may recommend rest, plenty of fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever.
                
Antibiotics usually aren't prescribed for acute bronchitis. This is because they don't work against virusesthe most common cause of acute bronchitis. However, if your doctor thinks you have a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe antibiotics.
                
A humidifier or steam can help loosen mucus and relieve wheezing and limited air flow. If your bronchitis causes wheezing, you may need an inhaled medicine to open your airways. You take this medicine using an inhaler. This device allows the medicine to go straight to your lungs.
                
Your doctor also may prescribe medicines to relieve or reduce your cough and treat your inflamed airways (especially if your cough persists).
                
If you have chronic bronchitis and also have been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), you may need medicines to open your airways and help clear away mucus. These medicines include bronchodilators (inhaled) and steroids (inhaled or pill form).
                
If you have chronic bronchitis, your doctor may prescribe oxygen therapy. This treatment can help you breathe easier, and it provides your body with needed oxygen.
                
One of the best ways to treat acute and chronic bronchitis is to remove the source of irritation and damage to your lungs. If you smoke, it's very important to quit.
                
Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Try to avoid secondhand smoke and other lung irritants, such as dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution.
                
For more information about how to quit smoking, go to the Diseases and Conditions Index Smoking and Your Heart article and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Your Guide to a Healthy Heart." Although these resources focus on heart health, they include general information about how to quit smoking.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Bronchitis
Question: How to prevent Bronchitis ?
Answer: You can't always prevent acute or chronic bronchitis. However, you can take steps to lower your risk for both conditions. The most important step is to quit smoking or not start smoking.
                
For more information about how to quit smoking, go to the Diseases and Conditions Index Smoking and Your Heart article and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Your Guide to a Healthy Heart." Although these resources focus on heart health, they include general information about how to quit smoking.
                
Also, try to avoid other lung irritants, such as secondhand smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution. For example, wear a mask over your mouth and nose when you use paint, paint remover, varnish, or other substances with strong fumes. This will help protect your lungs.
                
Wash your hands often to limit your exposure to germs and bacteria. Your doctor also may advise you to get a yearly flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Broken Heart Syndrome
Question: What causes Broken Heart Syndrome ?
Answer: The cause of broken heart syndrome isnt fully known. However, extreme emotional or physical stress is believed to play a role in causing the temporary disorder.
                
Although symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack, what is happening to the heart is quite different. Most heart attacks are caused by near or complete blockage of a coronary artery. In broken heart syndrome, the coronary arteries are not blocked, although blood flow may be reduced.
                
Potential Triggers
                
In most cases, broken heart syndrome occurs after an intense and upsetting emotional or physical event. Some potential triggers of broken heart syndrome are:
                
Emotional stressorsextreme grief, fear, or anger, for example as a result of the unexpected death of a loved one, financial or legal trouble, intense fear, domestic abuse, confrontational argument, car accident, public speaking, or even a surprise party.
                
Physical stressorsan asthma attack, serious illness or surgery, or exhausting physical effort.
                
Potential Causes
                
Researchers think that sudden stress releases hormones that overwhelm or stun the heart. (The term stunned is often used to indicate that the injury to the heart muscle is only temporary.) This can trigger changes in heart muscle cells or coronary blood vessels, or both. The heart becomes so weak that its left ventricle (which is the chamber that pumps blood from your heart to your body) bulges and cannot pump well, while the other parts of the heart work normally or with even more forceful contractions. As a result the heart is unable to pump properly. (For more information about the hearts pumping action and blood flow, go to the Health Topics How the Heart Works article.)
                
Researchers are trying to identify the precise way in which the stress hormones affect the heart. Broken heart syndrome may result from a hormone surge, coronary artery spasm, or microvascular dysfunction.
                
Hormone Surge
                
Intense stress causes large amounts of the fight or flight hormones, such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, to be released into your bloodstream. The hormones are meant to help you cope with the stress. Researchers think that the sudden surge of hormones overwhelms and stuns the heart muscle, producing symptoms similar to those of a heart attack.
                
Coronary Artery Spasm
                
Some research suggests that the extreme stress causes a temporary, sudden narrowing of one of the coronary arteries as a result of a spasm. The spasm slows or stops blood flow through the artery and starves part of the heart of oxygen-rich blood.
                
Microvascular Dysfunction
                
Another theory that is gaining traction is that the very small coronary arteries (called microvascular arteries) do not function well due to low hormone levels occurring before or after menopause. The microvascular arteries fail to provide enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Broken Heart Syndrome
Question: Who is at risk for Broken Heart Syndrome? ?
Answer: Broken heart syndrome affects women more often than men. Often, people who experience broken heart syndrome have previously been healthy. Research shows that the traditional risk factors for heart disease may not apply to broken heart syndrome.
                
People who might be at increased risk for broken heart syndrome include:
                
Women who have gone through menopause, particularly women in their sixties and seventies
                
People who often have no previous history of heart disease
                
Asian and White populations
                
Although these are the characteristics for most cases of broken heart syndrome, the condition can occur in anyone.
                
Research is ongoing to learn more about broken heart syndrome and its causes.
(Source: NHLBI)
Topic: Broken Heart Syndrome
Question: What are the symptoms of Broken Heart Syndrome ?
Answer: All chest pain should be checked by a doctor. Because symptoms of broken heart syndrome are similar to those of a heart attack, it is important to seek help right away. Your doctor may not be able to diagnose broken heart syndrome until you have some tests.
                
Common Signs and Symptoms
                
The most common symptoms of broken heart syndrome are sudden, sharp chest pain and shortness of breath. Typically these symptoms begin just minutes to hours after experiencing a severe, and usually unexpected, stress.
                
Because the syndrome involves severe heart muscle weakness, some people also may experience signs and symptoms such as fainting, arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs) (fast or irregular heartbeats), cardiogenic (KAR-de-o-JEN-ik) shock (when the heart cant pump enough blood to meet the bodys needs), low blood pressure, and heart failure.
                
Differences From a Heart Attack
                
Some of the signs and symptoms of broken heart syndrome differ from those of a heart attack. For example, in people who have broken heart syndrome:
                
Symptoms (chest pain and shortness of breath) occur suddenly after having extreme emotional or physical stress.
                
EKG(electrocardiogram) results dont look the same as the results for a person having a heart attack. (An EKG is a test that records the hearts electrical activity.)
                
Blood tests show no signs or mild signs of heart damage.
                
Tests show enlarged and unusual movement of the lower left heart chamber (the left ventricle).\
                
Tests show no signs of blockages in the coronary arteries.
                
Recovery time is quick, usually within days or weeks (compared with the recovery time of a month or more for a heart attack).
                
Complications
                
Broken heart syndrome can be life threatening in some cases. It can lead to serious heart problems such as:
                
Heart failure, a condition in which the heart cant pump enough blood to meet the bodys needs
                
Heart rhythm problems that cause the heart to beat much faster or slower than normal
                
Heart valve problems
                
The good news is that most people who have broken heart syndrome make a full recovery within weeks. With medical care, even the most critically ill tend to make a quick and complete recovery.
(Source: NHLBI)