sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Endocarditis
Question: What are the symptoms of Endocarditis ?
Answer: Infective endocarditis (IE) can cause a range of signs and symptoms that can vary from person to person. Signs and symptoms also can vary over time in the same person.
                
Signs and symptoms differ depending on whether you have an underlying heart problem, the type of germ causing the infection, and whether you have acute or subacute IE.
                
Signs and symptoms of IE may include:
                
Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, fatigue (tiredness), aching muscles and joints, night sweats, and headaches.
                
Shortness of breath or a cough that won't go away.
                
A new heart murmur or a change in an existing heart murmur.
                
Skin changes such as:   - Overall paleness.   - Small, painful, red or purplish bumps under the skin on the fingers or toes.   - Small, dark, painless flat spots on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.   - Tiny spots under the fingernails, on the whites of the eyes, on the roof of the mouth and inside of the cheeks, or on the chest. These spots are from broken blood vessels.
                
Overall paleness.
                
Small, painful, red or purplish bumps under the skin on the fingers or toes.
                
Small, dark, painless flat spots on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
                
Tiny spots under the fingernails, on the whites of the eyes, on the roof of the mouth and inside of the cheeks, or on the chest. These spots are from broken blood vessels.
                
Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting, a decrease in appetite, a sense of fullness with discomfort on the upper left side of the abdomen, or weight loss with or without a change in appetite.
                
Blood in the urine.
                
Swelling in the feet, legs, or abdomen.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Endocarditis
Question: What are the treatments for Endocarditis ?
Answer: Infective endocarditis (IE) is treated with antibiotics and sometimes with heart surgery.
                
Antibiotics
                
Antibiotics usually are given for 2 to 6 weeks through an intravenous (IV) line inserted into a vein. You're often in a hospital for at least the first week or more of treatment. This allows your doctor to make sure the medicine is helping.
                
If you're allowed to go home before the treatment is done, the antibiotics are almost always continued by vein at home. You'll need special care if you get IV antibiotic treatment at home. Before you leave the hospital, your medical team will arrange for you to receive home-based care so you can continue your treatment.
                
You also will need close medical followup, usually by a team of doctors. This team often includes a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases, a cardiologist (heart specialist), and a heart surgeon.
                
Surgery
                
Sometimes surgery is needed to repair or replace a damaged heart valve or to help clear up IE. For example, IE caused by fungi often requires surgery. This is because this type of IE is harder to treat than IE caused by bacteria.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Endocarditis
Question: How to prevent Endocarditis ?
Answer: If you're at risk for infective endocarditis (IE), you can take steps to prevent the infection and its complications.
                
Be alert to the signs and symptoms of IE. Contact your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms, especially a persistent fever or unexplained fatigue (tiredness).
                
Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and have regular dental checkups. Germs from a gum infection can enter your bloodstream.
                
Avoid body piercing, tattoos, and other procedures that may allow germs to enter your bloodstream.
                
Research shows that not everyone at risk for IE needs to take antibiotics before routine dental exams and certain other dental and medical procedures.
                
Let your health care providers, including your dentist, know if you're at risk for IE. They can tell you whether you need antibiotics before exams and procedures.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Restless Legs Syndrome
Question: What is (are) Restless Legs Syndrome ?
Answer: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder that causes a strong urge to move your legs. This urge to move often occurs with strange and unpleasant feelings in your legs. Moving your legs relieves the urge and the unpleasant feelings.
                
People who have RLS describe the unpleasant feelings as creeping, crawling, pulling, itching, tingling, burning, aching, or electric shocks. Sometimes, these feelings also occur in the arms.
                
The urge to move and unpleasant feelings happen when you're resting and inactive. Thus, they tend to be worse in the evening and at night.
                
Overview
                
RLS can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. It may make you feel tired and sleepy during the day. This can make it hard to learn, work, and do other daily activities. Not getting enough sleep also can cause depression, mood swings, or other health problems.
                
RLS can range from mild to severe based on:
                
The strength of your symptoms and how often they occur
                
How easily moving around relieves your symptoms
                
How much your symptoms disturb your sleep
                
One type of RLS usually starts early in life (before 45 years of age) and tends to run in families. It may even start in childhood. Once this type of RLS starts, it usually lasts for the rest of your life. Over time, symptoms slowly get worse and occur more often. If you have a mild case, you may have long periods with no symptoms.
                
Another type of RLS usually starts later in life (after 45 years of age). It generally doesn't run in families. This type of RLS tends to have a more abrupt onset. The symptoms usually don't get worse over time.
                
Some diseases, conditions, and medicines may trigger RLS. For example, the disorder has been linked to kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, and iron deficiency. When a disease, condition, or medicine causes RLS, the symptoms usually start suddenly.
                
Medical conditions or medicines often cause or worsen the type of RLS that starts later in life.
                
Outlook
                
RLS symptoms often get worse over time. However, some people's symptoms go away for weeks to months.
                
If a medical condition or medicine triggers RLS, the disorder may go away if the trigger is relieved or stopped. For example, RLS that occurs due to pregnancy tends to go away after giving birth. Kidney transplants (but not dialysis) relieve RLS linked to kidney failure.
                
Treatments for RLS include lifestyle changes and medicines. Some simple lifestyle changes often help relieve mild cases of RLS. Medicines often can relieve or prevent the symptoms of more severe RLS.
                
Research is ongoing to better understand the causes of RLS and to find better treatments.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Restless Legs Syndrome
Question: What causes Restless Legs Syndrome ?
Answer: Faulty Use of Iron or Lack of Iron
                
Research suggests that the main cause of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a faulty use of iron or a lack of iron in the brain. The brain uses iron to make the chemical dopamine (DO-pah-meen) and to control other brain activities. Dopamine works in the parts of the brain that control movement.
                
Many conditions can affect how much iron is in the brain or how it's used. These conditions include kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, and iron deficiency. All of these conditions increase your risk of RLS.
                
People whose family members have RLS also are more likely to develop the disorder. This suggests that genetics may contribute to the faulty use of iron or lack of iron in the brain that triggers RLS.
                
Nerve Damage
                
Nerve damage in the legs or feet and sometimes in the arms or hands may cause or worsen RLS. Several conditions can cause this type of nerve damage, including diabetes.
                
Medicines and Substances
                
Certain medicines may trigger RLS. These include some:
                
Antinausea medicines (used to treat upset stomach)
                
Antidepressants (used to treat depression)
                
Antipsychotics (used to treat certain mental health disorders)
                
Cold and allergy medicines that contain antihistamines
                
Calcium channel blockers (used to treat heart problems and high blood pressure)
                
RLS symptoms usually get better or may even go away if the medicine is stopped.
                
Certain substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, also can trigger or worsen RLS symptoms. Symptoms may get better or go away if the substances are stopped.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Restless Legs Syndrome
Question: Who is at risk for Restless Legs Syndrome? ?
Answer: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects about 515 percent of Americans. Many people who have RLS have family members with the disorder.
                
RLS can affect people of any racial or ethnic group, but the disorder is more common in people of Northern European descent. RLS affects both genders, but women are more likely to have it than men.
                
The number of cases of RLS rises with age. Many people who have RLS are diagnosed in middle age. People who develop RLS early in life tend to have a family history of the disorder.
                
People who have certain diseases or conditions or who take certain medicines are more likely to develop RLS. (For more information, go to "What Causes Restless Legs Syndrome?")
                
For example, pregnancy is a risk factor for RLS. It usually occurs during the last 3 months of pregnancy. The disorder usually improves or goes away after giving birth. Some women may continue to have symptoms after giving birth. Other women may develop RLS again later in life.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Restless Legs Syndrome
Question: How to diagnose Restless Legs Syndrome ?
Answer: Your doctor will diagnose restless legs syndrome (RLS) based on your signs and symptoms, your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and test results.
                
Your doctor will use this information to rule out other conditions that have symptoms similar to those of RLS.
                
Specialists Involved
                
Your primary care doctor usually can diagnose and treat RLS. However, he or she also may suggest that you see a sleep specialist or neurologist.
                
Signs and Symptoms
                
You must have the four key signs of RLS to be diagnosed with the disorder.
                
Your doctor will want to know how your symptoms are affecting your sleep and how alert you are during the day.
                
To help your doctor, you may want to keep a sleep diary. Use the diary to keep a daily record of how easy it is to fall and stay asleep, how much sleep you get at night, and how alert you feel during the day.
                
For a sample sleep diary, go to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Your Guide to Healthy Sleep."
                
Medical and Family Histories
                
Your doctor may ask whether you have any of the diseases or conditions that can trigger RLS. These include kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, and iron deficiency.
                
Your doctor also may want to know what medicines you take. Some medicines can trigger or worsen RLS.
                
The most common type of RLS tends to run in families. Thus, your doctor may ask whether any of your relatives have RLS.
                
Physical Exam
                
Your doctor will do a physical exam to check for underlying conditions that may trigger RLS. He or she also will check for other conditions that have symptoms similar to those of RLS.
                
Diagnostic Tests
                
Currently, no test can diagnose RLS. Still, your doctor may recommend blood tests to measure your iron levels. He or she also may suggest muscle or nerve tests. These tests can show whether you have a condition that can worsen RLS or that has symptoms similar to those of RLS.
                
Rarely, sleep studies are used to help diagnose RLS. A sleep study measures how much and how well you sleep. Although RLS can cause a lack of sleep, this sign isn't specific enough to diagnose the condition.
                
Researchers continue to study new ways to diagnose RLS.
                
Drug Therapy Trial
                
If your doctor thinks you have RLS, he or she may prescribe certain medicines to relieve your symptoms. These medicines, which are used to treat people who have Parkinson's disease, also can relieve RLS symptoms. If the medicines relieve your symptoms, your doctor can confirm that you have RLS.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Arrhythmia
Question: What is (are) Arrhythmia ?
Answer: Espaol
                
An arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah) is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.
                
A heartbeat that is too fast is called tachycardia (TAK-ih-KAR-de-ah). A heartbeat that is too slow is called bradycardia (bray-de-KAR-de-ah).
                
Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening. During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.
                
Understanding the Heart's Electrical System
                
To understand arrhythmias, it helps to understand the heart's internal electrical system. The heart's electrical system controls the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat.
                
With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom. As the signal travels, it causes the heart to contract and pump blood.
                
Each electrical signal begins in a group of cells called the sinus node or sinoatrial (SA) node. The SA node is located in the heart's upper right chamber, the right atrium (AY-tree-um). In a healthy adult heart at rest, the SA node fires off an electrical signal to begin a new heartbeat 60 to 100 times a minute.
                
From the SA node, the electrical signal travels through special pathways in the right and left atria. This causes the atria to contract and pump blood into the heart's two lower chambers, the ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls).
                
The electrical signal then moves down to a group of cells called the atrioventricular (AV) node, located between the atria and the ventricles. Here, the signal slows down just a little, allowing the ventricles time to finish filling with blood.
                
The electrical signal then leaves the AV node and travels along a pathway called the bundle of His. This pathway divides into a right bundle branch and a left bundle branch. The signal goes down these branches to the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.
                
The ventricles then relax, and the heartbeat process starts all over again in the SA node. (For more information about the heart's electrical system, including detailed animations, go to the Health Topics How the Heart Works article.)
                
A problem with any part of this process can cause an arrhythmia. For example, in atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fi-bri-LA-shun), a common type of arrhythmia, electrical signals travel through the atria in a fast and disorganized way. This causes the atria to quiver instead of contract.
                
Outlook
                
There are many types of arrhythmia. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some are not. The outlook for a person who has an arrhythmia depends on the type and severity of the arrhythmia.
                
Even serious arrhythmias often can be successfully treated. Most people who have arrhythmias are able to live normal, healthy lives.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Arrhythmia
Question: What causes Arrhythmia ?
Answer: An arrhythmia can occur if the electrical signals that control the heartbeat are delayed or blocked. This can happen if the special nerve cells that produce electrical signals don't work properly. It also can happen if the electrical signals don't travel normally through the heart.
                
An arrhythmia also can occur if another part of the heart starts to produce electrical signals. This adds to the signals from the special nerve cells and disrupts the normal heartbeat.
                
Smoking, heavy alcohol use, use of some drugs (such as cocaine or amphetamines), use of some prescription or over-the-counter medicines, or too much caffeine or nicotine can lead to arrhythmias in some people.
                
Strong emotional stress or anger can make the heart work harder, raise blood pressure, and release stress hormones. Sometimes these reactions can lead to arrhythmias.
                
A heart attack or other condition that damages the heart's electrical system also can cause arrhythmias. Examples of such conditions include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, an overactive or underactive thyroid gland (too much or too little thyroid hormone produced), and rheumatic heart disease.
                
Congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defects can cause some arrhythmias, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The term "congenital means the defect is present at birth.
                
Sometimes the cause of arrhythmias is unknown.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Arrhythmia
Question: Who is at risk for Arrhythmia? ?
Answer: Arrhythmias are very common in older adults. Atrial fibrillation (a common type of arrhythmia that can cause problems) affects millions of people, and the number is rising.
                
Most serious arrhythmias affect people older than 60. This is because older adults are more likely to have heart disease and other health problems that can lead to arrhythmias.
                
Older adults also tend to be more sensitive to the side effects of medicines, some of which can cause arrhythmias. Some medicines used to treat arrhythmias can even cause arrhythmias as a side effect.
                
Some types of arrhythmia happen more often in children and young adults. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, is more common in young people. PSVT is a fast heart rate that begins and ends suddenly.
                
Major Risk Factors
                
Arrhythmias are more common in people who have diseases or conditions that weaken the heart, such as:
                
Heart attack
                
Heart failure or cardiomyopathy, which weakens the heart and changes the way electrical signals move through the heart
                
Heart tissue that's too thick or stiff or that hasn't formed normally
                
Leaking or narrowed heart valves, which make the heart work too hard and can lead to heart failure
                
Congenital heart defects (defects present at birth) that affect the heart's structure or function
                
Other conditions also can raise the risk for arrhythmias, such as:
                
High blood pressure
                
Infections that damage the heart muscle or the sac around the heart
                
Diabetes, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease
                
Sleep apnea, which can stress the heart because the heart doesn't get enough oxygen
                
An overactive or underactive thyroid gland (too much or too little thyroid hormone in the body)
                
Several other risk factors also can raise your risk for arrhythmias. Examples include heart surgery, certain drugs (such as cocaine or amphetamines), or an imbalance of chemicals or other substances (such as potassium) in the bloodstream.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Arrhythmia
Question: What are the symptoms of Arrhythmia ?
Answer: Many arrhythmias cause no signs or symptoms. When signs or symptoms are present, the most common ones are:
                
Palpitations (feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or fast)
                
A slow heartbeat
                
An irregular heartbeat
                
Feeling pauses between heartbeats
                
More serious signs and symptoms include:
                
Anxiety
                
Weakness, dizziness, and light-headedness
                
Fainting or nearly fainting
                
Sweating
                
Shortness of breath
                
Chest pain
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Kawasaki Disease
Question: What is (are) Kawasaki Disease ?
Answer: Kawasaki (KAH-wah-SAH-ke) disease is a rare childhood disease. It's a form of a condition calledvasculitis(vas-kyu-LI-tis). This condition involves inflammation of the blood vessels.
                
In Kawasaki disease, the walls of the blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. The disease can affect any type of blood vessel in the body, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries.
                
Sometimes Kawasaki disease affects the coronary arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. As a result, some children who have Kawasaki disease may develop serious heart problems.
                
Overview
                
The cause of Kawasaki disease isn't known. The body's response to a virus or infection combined with genetic factors may cause the disease. However, no specific virus or infection has been found, and the role of genetics isn't known.
                
The disease can't be passed from one child to another. Your child won't get it from close contact with a child who has the disease. Also, if your child has the disease, he or she can't pass it to another child.
                
Kawasaki disease affects children of all races and ages and both genders. It occurs most often in children of Asian and Pacific Island descent. The disease is more likely to affect boys than girls. Most cases occur in children younger than 5years old.
                
One of the main symptoms of Kawasaki disease is a fever that lasts longer than5days. The fever remains high even after treatment with standard childhood fever medicines.
                
Children who have the disease also may have red eyes, red lips, and redness on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet. These are all signs of inflamed blood vessels.
                
Early treatment helps reduce the risk of Kawasaki disease affecting the coronary arteries and causing serious problems.
                
Outlook
                
Kawasaki disease can't be prevented. However, most children who have the disease usually recover within weeks of getting symptoms. Further problems are rare.
                
The disease affects some children's coronary arteries, which can cause serious problems. These children need long-term care and treatment.
                
Researchers continue to look for the cause of Kawasaki disease and better ways to diagnose and treat it. They also hope to learn more about long-term health risks, if any, for people who have had the disease.
Source: NHLBI
Topic: Kawasaki Disease
Question: What causes Kawasaki Disease ?
Answer: The cause of Kawasaki disease isn't known. The body's response to a virus or infection combined with genetic factors may cause the disease. However, no specific virus or infection has been found, and the role of genetics isn't known.
                
Kawasaki disease can't be passed from one child to another. Your child won't get it from close contact with a child who has the disease. Also, if your child has the disease, he or she can't pass it to another child.
Source: NHLBI