sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Gallstones
Question: Who is at risk for Gallstones? ?
Answer: Certain people have a higher risk of developing gallstones than others:2
                
- Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men. Extra estrogen can increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder contractions, which may cause gallstones to form. Women may have extra estrogen due to pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills.   - People over age 40 are more likely to develop gallstones than younger people.   - People with a family history of gallstones have a higher risk.   - American Indians have genetic factors that increase the amount of cholesterol in their bile. In fact, American Indians have the highest rate of gallstones in the United Statesalmost 65 percent of women and 30 percent of men have gallstones.   - Mexican Americans are at higher risk of developing gallstones.
                
Other factors that affect a persons risk of gallstones include2
                
- Obesity. People who are obese, especially women, have increased risk of developing gallstones. Obesity increases the amount of cholesterol in bile, which can cause stone formation.   - Rapid weight loss. As the body breaks down fat during prolonged fasting and rapid weight loss, the liver secretes extra cholesterol into bile. Rapid weight loss can also prevent the gallbladder from emptying properly. Low-calorie diets and bariatric surgerysurgery that limits the amount of food a person can eat or digestlead to rapid weight loss and increased risk of gallstones.   - Diet. Research suggests diets high in calories and refi ned carbohydrates and low in fi ber increase the risk of gallstones. Refi ned carbohydrates are grains processed to remove bran and germ, which contain nutrients and  fiber. Examples of refi ned carbohydrates include white bread and white rice.   - Certain intestinal diseases. Diseases that affect normal absorption of nutrients, such as Crohns disease, are associated with gallstones.   - Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and insulin resistance. These conditions increase the risk of gallstones. Metabolic syndrome also increases the risk of gallstone complications. Metabolic syndrome is a group of traits and medical conditions linked to being overweight or obese that puts people at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
                
More information about these conditions is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes.
                
- cirrhosisa condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions due to chronic, or long lasting, injury   - infections in the bile ducts   - severe hemolytic anemiasconditions in which red blood cells are continuously broken down, such as sickle cell anemia
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gallstones
Question: What are the symptoms of Gallstones ?
Answer: Many people with gallstones do not have symptoms. Gallstones that do not cause symptoms are called asymptomatic, or silent, gallstones. Silent gallstones do not interfere with the function of the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas.
                
If gallstones block the bile ducts, pressure increases in the gallbladder, causing a gallbladder attack. The pain usually lasts from 1 to several hours.1 Gallbladder attacks often follow heavy meals, and they usually occur in the evening or during the night.
                
Gallbladder attacks usually stop when gallstones move and no longer block the bile ducts. However, if any of the bile ducts remain blocked for more than a few hours, complications can occur. Complications include infl ammation, or swelling, of the gallbladder and severe damage or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or liver.
                
A gallstone that becomes lodged in the common bile duct near the duodenum and blocks the pancreatic duct can cause gallstone pancreatitisin flammation of the pancreas.
                
Left untreated, blockages of the bile ducts or pancreatic duct can be fatal.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gallstones
Question: What is (are) Gallstones ?
Answer: People who think they have had a gallbladder attack should notify their health care provider. Although these attacks usually resolve as gallstones move, complications can develop if the bile ducts remain blocked.
                
People with any of the following symptoms during or after a gallbladder attack should see a health care provider immediately:
                
- abdominal pain lasting more than 5 hours   - nausea and vomiting   - fevereven a low-grade feveror chills  - yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice   - tea-colored urine and light-colored stools
                
These symptoms may be signs of serious infection or infl ammation of the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gallstones
Question: What to do for Gallstones ?
Answer: Factors related to eating, diet, and nutrition that increase the risk of gallstones include
                
- obesity   - rapid weight loss   - diets high in calories and refi ned carbohydrates and low in fi ber
                
People can decrease their risk of gallstones by maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet and nutrition.
                
Ursodiol can help prevent gallstones in people who rapidly lose weight through low-calorie diets or bariatric surgery. People should talk with their health care provider or dietitian about what diet is right for them.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Gallstones
Question: What to do for Gallstones ?
Answer: - Gallstones are hard particles that develop in the gallbladder.  - Imbalances in the substances that make up bile cause gallstones. Gallstones may form if bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts. Scientists do not fully understand why these imbalances occur.   - Women, people over age 40, people with a family history of gallstones, American Indians, and Mexican Americans have a higher risk of developing gallstones.   - Many people with gallstones do not have symptoms. Gallstones that do not cause symptoms are called asymptomatic, or silent, gallstones.  - If gallstones block the bile ducts, pressure increases in the gallbladder, causing a gallbladder attack.  - Gallbladder attacks often follow heavy meals, and they usually occur in the evening or during the night.  - Gallstone symptoms may be similar to those of other conditions.   - If gallstones are not causing symptoms, treatment is usually not needed. However, if a person has a gallbladder attack or other symptoms, a health care provider will usually recommend treatment.   - The usual treatment for gallstones is surgery to remove the gallbladder. If a person cannot undergo surgery, nonsurgical treatments may be used to dissolve cholesterol gallstones. A health care provider may use endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove stones in people who cannot undergo surgery or to remove stones from the common bile duct in people who are about to have gallbladder removal surgery.   - The gallbladder is not an essential organ, which means a person can live normally without a gallbladder. Once the gallbladder is removed, bile  flows out of the liver through the hepatic and common bile ducts and directly into the duodenum, instead of being stored in the gallbladder.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Smoking and the Digestive System
Question: What is (are) Smoking and the Digestive System ?
Answer: The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tractalso called the digestive tractand the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestinewhich includes the colon and rectumand anus. Food enters the mouth and passes to the anus through the hollow organs of the GI tract. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system. The digestive system helps the body digest food, which includes breaking food down into nutrients the body needs. Nutrients are substances the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Smoking and the Digestive System
Question: Who is at risk for Smoking and the Digestive System? ?
Answer: Smoking has been found to increase the risk of cancers of the3
                
- mouth  - esophagus  - stomach  - pancreas
                
3
                
,
                
4
                
,
                
5
                
- liver  - colon  - rectum
                
More information about the link between smoking and cancers of the digestive system can be found on the National Cancer Institute website at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco/smoking.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Smoking and the Digestive System
Question: What is (are) Smoking and the Digestive System ?
Answer: Smoking contributes to many common disorders of the digestive system, such as heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, and some liver diseases. Smoking increases the risk of Crohns disease, colon polyps, and pancreatitis, and it may increase the risk of gallstones.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Smoking and the Digestive System
Question: What to do for Smoking and the Digestive System ?
Answer: Eating, diet, and nutrition can play a role in causing, preventing, and treating some of the diseases and disorders of the digestive system that are affected by smoking, including heartburn and GERD, liver diseases, Crohns disease, colon polyps, pancreatitis, and gallstones. More information about eating, diet, and nutrition and these conditions can be found on the Digestive Diseases A-Z list.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Smoking and the Digestive System
Question: What to do for Smoking and the Digestive System ?
Answer: - Smoking has been found to increase the risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas. Research suggests that smoking may also increase the risk of cancers of the liver, colon, and rectum.  - Smoking increases the risk of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  - Smoking increases the risk of peptic ulcers.  - Smoking may worsen some liver diseases, including primary biliary cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).  - Current and former smokers have a higher risk of developing Crohns disease than people who have never smoked.  - People who smoke are more likely to develop colon polyps.  - Smoking increases the risk of developing pancreatitis.  - Some studies have shown that smoking may increase the risk of developing gallstones. However, research results are not consistent and more study is needed.  - Quitting smoking can reverse some of the effects of smoking on the digestive system.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What is (are) Graves' Disease ?
Answer: Graves disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormone than the body needs.
                
The Thyroid
                
The thyroid is a 2-inch-long, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck below the larynx, or voice box. The thyroid makes two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3 ) and thyroxine (T4 ). T3 is made from T4 and is the more active hormone, directly affecting the tissues. Thyroid hormones circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream and act on virtually every tissue and cell in the body.
                
Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight, and cholesterol levels. Hyperthyroidism causes many of the bodys functions to speed up.
                
Thyroid hormone production is regulated by another hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is made by the pituitary gland in the brain. When thyroid hormone levels in the blood are low, the pituitary releases more TSH. When thyroid hormone levels are high, the pituitary responds by decreasing TSH production.
                

                
Autoimmune Disorder
                
Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder. Normally, the immune system protects the body from infection by identifying and destroying bacteria, viruses, and other potentially harmful foreign substances. But in autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the bodys own cells and organs.
                
With Graves disease, the immune system makes an antibody called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)sometimes called TSH receptor antibodythat attaches to thyroid cells. TSI mimics TSH and stimulates the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. Sometimes the TSI antibody instead blocks thyroid hormone production, leading to conflicting symptoms that may make correct diagnosis more difficult.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What are the symptoms of Graves' Disease ?
Answer: People with Graves disease may have common symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as
                
- nervousness or irritability  - fatigue or muscle weakness  - heat intolerance  - trouble sleeping  - hand tremors  - rapid and irregular heartbeat  - frequent bowel movements or diarrhea  - weight loss  - goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid that may cause the neck to look swollen and can interfere with normal breathing and swallowing
                
A small number of people with Graves disease also experience thickening and reddening of the skin on their shins. This usually painless problem is called pretibial myxedema or Graves dermopathy.
                
In addition, the eyes of people with Graves disease may appear enlarged because their eyelids are retractedseem pulled back into the eye socketsand their eyes bulge out from the eye sockets. This condition is called Graves ophthalmopathy (GO).
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What is (are) Graves' Disease ?
Answer: Graves ophthalmopathy is a condition associated with Graves disease that occurs when cells from the immune system attack the muscles and other tissues around the eyes.
                
The result is inflammation and a buildup of tissue and fat behind the eye socket, causing the eyeballs to bulge out. Rarely, inflammation is severe enough to compress the optic nerve that leads to the eye, causing vision loss.
                
Other GO symptoms are
                
- dry, gritty, and irritated eyes  - puffy eyelids  - double vision  - light sensitivity  - pressure or pain in the eyes  - trouble moving the eyes
                
About 25 to 30 percent of people with Graves disease develop mild GO, and 2 to 5 percent develop severe GO.1 This eye condition usually lasts 1 to 2 years and often improves on its own.
                
GO can occur before, at the same time as, or after other symptoms of hyperthyroidism develop and may even occur in people whose thyroid function is normal. Smoking makes GO worse.
                
1Yeung SJ, Habra MA, Chiu AC. Graves disease. emedicine website. emedicine.medscape.com/article/120619-overview. Updated 2010. Accessed December 10, 2011.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: How to diagnose Graves' Disease ?
Answer: Health care providers can sometimes diagnose Graves disease based only on a physical examination and a medical history. Blood tests and other diagnostic tests, such as the following, then confirm the diagnosis.
                
TSH test. The ultrasensitive TSH test is usually the first test performed. This test detects even tiny amounts of TSH in the blood and is the most accurate measure of thyroid activity available.
                
T3 and T4 test. Another blood test used to diagnose Graves disease measures T3 and T4 levels. In making a diagnosis, health care providers look for below-normal levels of TSH, normal to elevated levels of T4, and elevated levels of T3.
                
Because the combination of low TSH and high T3 and T4 can occur with other thyroid problems, health care providers may order other tests to finalize the diagnosis. The following two tests use small, safe doses of radioactive iodine because the thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormone.
                
Radioactive iodine uptake test. This test measures the amount of iodine the thyroid collects from the bloodstream. High levels of iodine uptake can indicate Graves disease.
                
Thyroid scan. This scan shows how and where iodine is distributed in the thyroid. With Graves disease the entire thyroid is involved, so the iodine shows up throughout the gland. Other causes of hyperthyroidism such as nodulessmall lumps in the glandshow a different pattern of iodine distribution.
                
TSI test. Health care providers may also recommend the TSI test, although this test usually isnt necessary to diagnose Graves disease. This test, also called a TSH antibody test, measures the level of TSI in the blood. Most people with Graves disease have this antibody, but people whose hyperthyroidism is caused by other conditions do not.
                
More information about testing for thyroid problems is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Thyroid Tests.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Graves' Disease ?
Answer: Treatment for Graves disease can sometimes affect pregnancy. After treatment with surgery or radioactive iodine, TSI antibodies can still be present in the blood, even when thyroid levels are normal. If a pregnant woman has received either of these treatments prior to becoming pregnant, the antibodies she produces may travel across the placenta to the babys bloodstream and stimulate the fetal thyroid.
                
A pregnant woman who has been treated with surgery or radioactive iodine should inform her health care provider so her baby can be monitored for thyroid-related problems later in the pregnancy. Pregnant women may safely be treated with anti-thyroid medications.
                
For more information about pregnancy and anti-thyroid medications, see Medications under the section titled How is Graves disease treated?More information about pregnancy and thyroid disease is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What to do for Graves' Disease ?
Answer: Experts recommend that people eat a balanced diet to obtain most nutrients. More information about diet and nutrition is provided by the National Agricultural Library available at www.nutrition.gov.
                
Dietary Supplements
                
Iodine is an essential mineral for the thyroid. However, people with autoimmune thyroid disease may be sensitive to harmful side effects from iodine. Taking iodine drops or eating foods containing large amounts of iodinesuch as seaweed, dulse, or kelpmay cause or worsen hyperthyroidism. More information about iodine is provided by the National Library of Medicine in the fact sheet, Iodine in diet, available at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus.
                
Women need more iodine when they are pregnantabout 250 micrograms a daybecause the baby gets iodine from the mothers diet. In the United States, about 7 percent of pregnant women may not get enough iodine in their diet or through prenatal vitamins.3 Choosing iodized saltsalt supplemented with iodineover plain salt and prenatal vitamins containing iodine will ensure this need is met.
                
To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of dietary supplements, such as iodine, with their health care provider. Tips for talking with health care providers are available through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
                
3 Zimmerman MB. Iodine deficiency in pregnancy and the effects of maternal iodine supplementation on the offspring: a review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009;89(2):668S672S.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Graves' Disease
Question: What to do for Graves' Disease ?
Answer: - Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States.  - In Graves disease, the immune system stimulates the thyroid gland to make too much thyroid hormone.  - Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include nervousness or irritability, fatigue or muscle weakness, heat intolerance, trouble sleeping, hand tremors, rapid and irregular heartbeat, frequent bowel movements or diarrhea, weight loss, and goiter.  - People with Graves disease may also have bulging eyes, a condition called Graves ophthalmopathy (GO).  - Graves disease is most often treated with radioiodine therapy, which gradually destroys the cells that make up the thyroid gland. Anti-thyroid medications and surgery to remove the thyroid are sometimes used.  - The eye problems associated with Graves disease may require separate treatment.  - A pregnant woman who has been treated with surgery or radioactive iodine prior to becoming pregnant should inform her health care provider so her baby can be monitored for thyroid-related problems later in the pregnancy.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes
Question: Who is at risk for Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes? ?
Answer: Risk factors are conditions that increase the chances of getting a particular disease. The more risk factors people have, the greater their chances of developing that disease or condition. Diabetic neuropathy and related sexual and urologic problems appear to be more common in people who
                
- have poor blood glucose control  - have high levels of blood cholesterol  - have high blood pressure  - are overweight  - are older than 40  - smoke  - are physically inactive
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes
Question: How to prevent Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes ?
Answer: People with diabetes can lower their risk of sexual and urologic problems by keeping their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels close to the target numbers their health care provider recommends. Being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can also help prevent the long-term complications of diabetes. For those who smoke, quitting will lower the risk of developing sexual and urologic problems due to nerve damage and also lower the risk for other health problems related to diabetes, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
                
More information about preventing diabetes complications is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your diabetes under control, available from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-860-8747.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes
Question: What to do for Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes ?
Answer: The nerve damage of diabetes may cause sexual or urologic problems.
                
- Sexual problems in men with diabetes include      - erectile dysfunction    - retrograde ejaculation    - Sexual problems in women with diabetes include      - decreased vaginal lubrication and uncomfortable or painful intercourse    - decreased or no sexual desire    - decreased or absent sexual response    - Urologic problems in men and women with diabetes include      - bladder problems related to nerve damage, such as overactive bladder, poor control of sphincter muscles, and urine retention    - urinary tract infections    - Controlling diabetes through diet, physical activity, and medications as needed can help prevent sexual and urologic problems.  - Treatment is available for sexual and urologic problems.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: What I need to know about Gas
Question: What is (are) What I need to know about Gas ?
Answer: Gas is air in the digestive tract. Gas leaves the body when people burp through the mouth or pass gas through the anus*the opening at the end of the digestive tract where stool leaves the body.
                
Everyone has gas. Burping and passing gas are normal. Many people believe that they burp or pass gas too often and that they have too much gas. Having too much gas is rare.
Source: NIDDK