fenil210/Med-Lamma huggingface dataset:
How to prevent Bronchitis ?
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. + NHLBI + Bronchitis
What causes Broken Heart Syndrome ?
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. + NHLBI + Broken Heart Syndrome
Who is at risk for Broken Heart Syndrome? ?
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. + NHLBI + Broken Heart Syndrome
What are the symptoms of Broken Heart Syndrome ?
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. + NHLBI + Broken Heart Syndrome
What are the treatments for Broken Heart Syndrome ?
Even though broken heart syndrome may feel like a heart attack, its a very different problem that needs a different type of treatment.
                
The good news is that broken heart syndrome is usually treatable, and most people make a full recovery. Most people who experience broken heart syndrome stay in the hospital for a few days to a week.
                
Initial treatment is aimed at improving blood flow to the heart, and may be similar to that for a heart attack until the diagnosis is clear. Further treatment can include medicines and lifestyle changes.
                
Medicines
                
Doctors may prescribe medicines to relieve fluid buildup, treat blood pressure problems, prevent blood clots, and manage stress hormones. Medicines are often discontinued once heart function has returned to normal.
                
Your doctor may prescribe the following medicines:
                
ACE inhibitors (or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors), to lower blood pressure and reduce strain on your heart
                
Beta blockers, to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure to decrease your hearts workload
                
Diuretics (water or fluid pills), to help reduce fluid buildup in your lungs and swelling in your feet and ankles
                
Anti-anxiety medicines, to help manage stress hormones
                
Take all of your medicines as prescribed. If you have side effects or other problems related to your medicines, tell your doctor. He or she may be able to provide other options.
                
Treatment of Complications
                
Broken heart syndrome can be life threatening in some cases. Because the syndrome involves severe heart muscle weakness, patients can experience shock, heart failure, low blood pressure, and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm abnormalities.
                
The good news is that this condition improves very quickly, so with proper diagnosis and management, even the most critically ill tend to make a quick and complete recovery.
                
Lifestyle Changes
                
To stay healthy, its important to find ways to reduce stress and cope with particularly upsetting situations. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health.
                
Having supportive people in your life with whom you can share your feelings or concerns can help relieve stress. Physical activity, medicine, and relaxation therapy also can help relieve stress. You may want to consider taking part in a stress management program.
                
Treatments Not Helpful for Broken Heart Syndrome
                
Several procedures used to treat a heart attack are not helpful in treating broken heart syndrome. These procedurespercutaneous coronary intervention (sometimes referred to as angioplasty), stent placement, and surgerytreat blocked arteries, which is not the cause of broken heart syndrome. + NHLBI + Broken Heart Syndrome
How to prevent Broken Heart Syndrome ?
Researchers are still learning about broken heart syndrome, and no treatments have been shown to prevent it. For people who have experienced the condition, the risk of recurrence is low.
                
An emotionally upsetting or serious physical event can trigger broken heart syndrome. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health.
                
Having supportive people in your life with whom you can share your feelings or concerns can help relieve stress. Physical activity, medicine, and relaxation therapy also can help relieve stress. You may want to consider taking part in a stress management program.
                
Also, some of the ways people cope with stresssuch as drinking, smoking, or overeatingarent healthy. Learning to manage stress includes adopting healthy habits that will keep your stress levels low and make it easier to deal with stress when it does happen. A healthy lifestyle includes following a healthy diet, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. + NHLBI + Broken Heart Syndrome
What is (are) Bronchiectasis ?
Bronchiectasis (brong-ke-EK-ta-sis) is a condition in which damage to the airways causes them to widen and become flabby and scarred. The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs.
                
Bronchiectasis usually is the result of an infection or other condition that injures the walls of your airways or prevents the airways from clearing mucus. Mucus is a slimy substance that the airways produce to help remove inhaled dust, bacteria, and other small particles.
                
In bronchiectasis, your airways slowly lose their ability to clear out mucus. When mucus can't be cleared, it builds up and creates an environment in which bacteria can grow. This leads to repeated, serious lung infections.
                
Each infection causes more damage to your airways. Over time, the airways lose their ability to move air in and out. This can prevent enough oxygen from reaching your vital organs.
                
Bronchiectasis can lead to serious health problems, such as respiratory failure, atelectasis (at-eh-LEK-tah-sis), and heart failure.
                
Bronchiectasis
                

                
Overview
                
Bronchiectasis can affect just one section of one of your lungs or many sections of both lungs.
                
The initial lung damage that leads to bronchiectasis often begins in childhood. However, symptoms may not occur until months or even years after you start having repeated lung infections.
                
In the United States, common childhood infectionssuch as whooping cough and measlesused to cause many cases of bronchiectasis. However, these causes are now less common because of vaccines and antibiotics.
                
Now bronchiectasis usually is due to a medical condition that injures the airway walls or prevents the airways from clearing mucus. Examples of such conditions include cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary (SIL-e-ar-e) dyskinesia (dis-kih-NE-ze-ah), or PCD.
                
Bronchiectasis that affects only one part of the lung may be caused by a blockage rather than a medical condition.
                
Bronchiectasis can be congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) or acquired. Congenital bronchiectasis affects infants and children. It's the result of a problem with how the lungs form in a fetus.
                
Acquired bronchiectasis occurs as a result of another condition or factor. This type of bronchiectasis can affect adults and older children. Acquired bronchiectasis is more common than the congenital type.
                
Outlook
                
Currently, bronchiectasis has no cure. However, with proper care, most people who have it can enjoy a good quality of life.
                
Early diagnosis and treatment of bronchiectasis are important. The sooner your doctor starts treating bronchiectasis and any underlying conditions, the better your chances of preventing further lung damage. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis
What causes Bronchiectasis ?
Damage to the walls of the airways usually is the cause of bronchiectasis. A lung infection may cause this damage. Examples of lung infections that can lead to bronchiectasis include:
                
Severe pneumonia (nu-MO-ne-ah)
                
Whooping cough or measles (uncommon in the United States due to vaccination)
                
Tuberculosis
                
Fungal infections
                
Conditions that damage the airways and raise the risk of lung infections also can lead to bronchiectasis. Examples of such conditions include:
                
Cystic fibrosis. This disease leads to almost half of the cases of bronchiectasis in the United States.
                
Immunodeficiency disorders, such as common variable immunodeficiency and, less often, HIV and AIDS.
                
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (AS-per-ji-LO-sis). This is an allergic reaction to a fungus called aspergillus. The reaction causes swelling in the airways.
                
Disorders that affect cilia (SIL-e-ah) function, such as primary ciliary dyskinesia. Cilia are small, hair-like structures that line your airways. They help clear mucus (a slimy substance) out of your airways.
                
Chronic (ongoing) pulmonary aspiration (as-pih-RA-shun). This is a condition in which you inhale food, liquids, saliva, or vomited stomach contents into your lungs. Aspiration can inflame the airways, which can lead to bronchiectasis.
                
Connective tissue diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjgrens syndrome, and Crohns disease.
                
Other conditions, such as an airway blockage, also can lead to bronchiectasis. Many things can cause a blockage, such as a growth or a noncancerous tumor. An inhaled object, such as a piece of a toy or a peanut that you inhaled as a child, also can cause an airway blockage.
                
A problem with how the lungs form in a fetus may cause congenital bronchiectasis. This condition affects infants and children. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis
Who is at risk for Bronchiectasis? ?
People who have conditions that damage the lungs or increase the risk of lung infections are at risk for bronchiectasis. Such conditions include:
                
Cystic fibrosis. This disease leads to almost half of the cases of bronchiectasis in the United States.
                
Immunodeficiency disorders, such as common variable immunodeficiency and, less often, HIV and AIDS.
                
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. This is an allergic reaction to a fungus called aspergillus. The reaction causes swelling in the airways.
                
Disorders that affect cilia function, such as primary ciliary dyskinesia. Cilia are small, hair-like structures that line your airways. They help clear mucus (a slimy substance) out of your airways.
                
Bronchiectasis can develop at any age. Overall, two-thirds of people who have the condition are women. However, in children, the condition is more common in boys than in girls. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis
What are the symptoms of Bronchiectasis ?
The initial airway damage that leads to bronchiectasis often begins in childhood. However, signs and symptoms may not appear until months or even years after you start having repeated lung infections.
                
The most common signs and symptoms of bronchiectasis are:
                
A daily cough that occurs over months or years
                
Daily production of large amounts of sputum (spit). Sputum, which you cough up and spit out, may contain mucus (a slimy substance), trapped particles, and pus.
                
Shortness of breath and wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
                
Chest pain
                
Clubbing (the flesh under your fingernails and toenails gets thicker)
                
If your doctor listens to your lungs with a stethoscope, he or she may hear abnormal lung sounds.
                
Over time, you may have more serious symptoms. You may cough up blood or bloody mucus and feel very tired. Children may lose weight or not grow at a normal rate.
                
Complications of Bronchiectasis
                
Severe bronchiectasis can lead to other serious health conditions, such as respiratory failure and atelectasis.
                
Respiratory failure is a condition in which not enough oxygen passes from your lungs into your blood. The condition also can occur if your lungs can't properly remove carbon dioxide (a waste gas) from your blood.
                
Respiratory failure can cause shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and air hunger (feeling like you can't breathe in enough air). In severe cases, signs and symptoms may include a bluish color on your skin, lips, and fingernails; confusion; and sleepiness.
                
Atelectasis is a condition in which one or more areas of your lungs collapse or don't inflate properly. As a result, you may feel short of breath. Your heart rate and breathing rate may increase, and your skin and lips may turn blue.
                
If bronchiectasis is so advanced that it affects all parts of your airways, it may cause heart failure. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
                
The most common signs and symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath or trouble breathing, tiredness, and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and veins in the neck. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis
How to diagnose Bronchiectasis ?
Your doctor may suspect bronchiectasis if you have a daily cough that produces large amounts of sputum (spit).
                
To find out whether you have bronchiectasis, your doctor may recommend tests to:
                
Identify any underlying causes that require treatment
                
Rule out other causes of your symptoms
                
Find out how much your airways are damaged
                
Diagnostic Tests and Procedures
                
Chest CT Scan
                
A chest computed tomography (to-MOG-ra-fee) scan, or chest CT scan, is the most common test for diagnosing bronchiectasis.
                
This painless test creates precise pictures of your airways and other structures in your chest. A chest CT scan can show the extent and location of lung damage. This test gives more detailed pictures than a standard chest x ray.
                
Chest X Ray
                
This painless test creates pictures of the structures in your chest, such as your heart and lungs. A chest x ray can show areas of abnormal lung and thickened, irregular airway walls.
                
Other Tests
                
Your doctor may recommend other tests, such as:
                
Blood tests. These tests can show whether you have an underlying condition that can lead to bronchiectasis. Blood tests also can show whether you have an infection or low levels of certain infection-fighting blood cells.
                
A sputum culture. Lab tests can show whether a sample of your sputum contains bacteria (such as the bacteria that cause tuberculosis) or fungi.
                
Lung function tests. These tests measure how much air you can breathe in and out, how fast you can breathe air out, and how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood. Lung function tests help show how much lung damage you have.
                
A sweat test or other tests for cystic fibrosis.
                
Bronchoscopy
                
If your bronchiectasis doesn't respond to treatment, your doctor may recommend bronchoscopy (bron-KOS-ko-pee). Doctors use this procedure to look inside the airways.
                
During bronchoscopy, a flexible tube with a light on the end is inserted through your nose or mouth into your airways. The tube is called a bronchoscope. It provides a video image of your airways. You'll be given medicine to numb your upper airway and help you relax during the procedure.
                
Bronchoscopy can show whether you have a blockage in your airways. The procedure also can show the source of any bleeding in your airways. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis
How to prevent Bronchiectasis ?
To prevent bronchiectasis, it's important to prevent the lung infections and lung damage that can cause it.
                
Childhood vaccines for measles and whooping cough prevent infections related to these illnesses. These vaccines also reduce complications from these infections, such as bronchiectasis.
                
Avoiding toxic fumes, gases, smoke, and other harmful substances also can help protect your lungs.
                
Proper treatment of lung infections in children also may help preserve lung function and prevent lung damage that can lead to bronchiectasis.
                
Stay alert to keep children (and adults) from inhaling small objects (such as pieces of toys and food that might stick in a small airway). If you think you, your child, or someone else has inhaled a small object, seek prompt medical care.
                
In some cases, treating the underlying cause of bronchiectasis can slow or prevent its progression. + NHLBI + Bronchiectasis